Chimera: A GarrusFShepard Romance
by Illusionsfire76
Summary: A romance pairing of Garrus & FShepard. The relationship is new and off to a rocky start.
1. Shore Leave

CHAPTER 1: SHORE LEAVE

Silence….well, not perfect silence but a familiar and comforting one nonetheless. The hum of the ship and its crew going about their daily activities was something Shepard had come to find a certain peace in. The Alliance had given her a sense of belonging and the people she met and served with gave her a sense of family. Following in her parents footsteps gave her a sense of purpose. She never expected to come as far as she had. Still, it made her sad to know that her father would never know or see what his daughter had accomplished. Standing in the cockpit with Joker looking out the window, watching the stars streak by in the vast expanse of space, she was lost in thought…

"Commander? ...Joker to Shepard….Hello?"

"…..what?" she absently answered still staring out the window.

"Oh nothing, you know, just trying to fly the ship here. Waiting for your orders while the Reapers hunt our ass and Cerberus gets away…the usual."

Peeved, she turned and raised her hand, about to smack him upside the head. "Really, Joker?"

"Hey, hey don't hit the cripple! Just making sure you were paying attention is all. I lost you for a minute… what's wrong, Commander?"

"Nothing….everything… you know… the usual," she said with a cryptic smirk. "Don't worry about me Joker, I'm fine. Set a course for the Citadel would you? It's time the crew got some shore leave while I take care of things with the Council."

"All work and no play makes Sera a dull girl…"

"Joker….."

"Okay, okay I give. Just saying is all… you could use some shore leave too you know. Anderson said I was supposed to look out for you. I can't disobey a direct order, can I?"

"No", she said, smiling at her old friend. "Really, I'm fine."

He huffed, "Okay, but promise me you'll meet me us in Purgatory for a drink."

"Us?"

"Yeah, a few of us are meeting up – me, Edi, Liara, Garrus, Mordin, Dr. Chakwas... you know taking advantage of the downtime. It's called relaxing... having a good time…"

"Okay, okay, I get it – smartass. I'll think about it. No promises," she said as she walked away toward the CIC.

A small smile played on her lips as she walked past the holo of the Normandy. It was a beautiful ship – perfect. Cerberus had done a magnificent job of building her and Sera was glad and relieved to be able to turn it over to the Alliance. In the 6 months she was gone, they tore it apart ripping out all of the Cerberus intel and technology and converting it to an Alliance vessel. She detested the time she spent under Cerberus' thumb – not her choice but a necessary evil. However, they both served a mutually symbiotic purpose to one another. Each got what they wanted out of the partnership.

Still, she was only too eager to return to the Alliance. The Alliance and the Council however, had not been so eager. Anderson trusted her implicitly. He believed everything she had told him. The Council had not – they were in severe denial and nothing she said would change their minds. That was, of course, until the Reaper attack on Earth….and Palaven…and countless other worlds. Now they couldn't deny anything anymore.

She sighed heavily as she walked up to her private terminal not really wanting to read any of the messages. She was tired – mentally, emotionally and physically. It would be 2 or 3 more hours before they reached the Citadel and a nap sounded like bliss. The terminal nagged at her. She knew she couldn't walk away from it without reading the messages. She let out a small annoyed huff as she pressed the message icon. The subject lines lit up the screen. She skimmed them to see if there was anything important. There were a few things that caught her attention...an invitation for a meeting with Anderson, a message from the Salarian dalatrass, a reminder from Dr. Chakwas about the medical supplies, Joker's invite for drinks….and a message from her mother. Concerned, she clicked it:

_Seraphina,_

_I hope this reaches you. I heard about the attack on Earth and immediately thought of you. I tried getting through to you via holo and omni-tool but nothing would hold a signal long enough to connect. Please reply to this as soon as you get it so I know you're okay. I'll be on the Citadel in the next day or two to take care of some things and visit your father. If you pass through, please let me know - I would love to see what my daughter looks like these days. _

_Love,_

_Your mother, Rear Admiral Hannah_

The screen became blurry as happy tears pricked behind her eyelids. A wave of relief washed through her as she hung her head, looking down at the keypad. She felt lighter as she typed a quick reply to her mother:

_Mom,_

_I'm fine and commanding the SSV Normandy again. It's been commissioned as an Alliance vessel after they got rid of all the Cerberus tech. I'm very sorry for not sending you a message sooner. Things have been so chaotic – I barely have time to eat never mind sleep. I would love to see you. I'll be at the Citadel by the time you arrive. How about we meet at the café near the Presidium Gardens and visit dad together?_

_Love, _

_Seraphina_

With a smile on her face, she left the console and headed toward the elevator, calling back to Specialist Traynor.

"Traynor?"

"Commander?"

"I'm going to visit the crew deck and then will be in my cabin until we get to the Citadel. Please don't let anyone disturb me until we arrive."

"Yes, Commander."

The elevator doors shut and she was left alone with her thoughts. While the elevator hummed to the Crew Deck, she thought about her father. She missed him so much. He had been a Captain with the Alliance just like her mother. She closed her eyes and saw his face – kind, gentle, smiling, sky-blue eyes sparkling with laughter. The scar of losing him so suddenly was still fresh on her heart. She had felt so lost without him; her world turned upside down – like the floor had fallen out from beneath her. It had been 2 years and it still felt like yesterday. The words coming out of her mother's mouth but seeming disembodied anyway…

The elevator dinged bringing her back to the present as the doors slid open. She shook her head quickly to put the memories away. She couldn't let her crew see her that way – in despair; the pain and anguish written on her face. She sniffed back a tear as she stepped off the elevator and headed toward Med Bay. The door slid open and Karin looked up from the data pad she was reading.

"Commander! Good to see you…." Her brow furrowed as she noted the look on Shepard's face "…what's wrong Sera?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Karin. I just got a message from my mother and she's fine. We're going to meet on the Citadel when she arrives."

"Oh! That's wonderful! Give her my regards would you?"

"I will. Speaking of the Citadel, do you have a manifest of the items you want me to trade with Tactus that I can take with me?"

"Actually… that's what I'm reviewing at the moment. I'll send it to you once I'm finished finalizing it."

"Sounds good. Thanks Doctor." She turned and started to walk out of Med Bay.

"Commander?"

"Yes?"

Karin looked at Shepard, concerned. There were dark circles under Shepard's eyes, her complexion was pale, and her slumped shoulders were indicative of the burden she carried. She was absently rubbing her temple with her two forefingers – the stress was becoming more than apparent.

"I think you should rest while you are on the Citadel, Commander."

"Why?" Shepard asked, knowing the answer before the doctor could voice it.

"You know why Commander. I don't need to tell you. We're getting together in Purgatory for drinks. I think you should come."

"I don't know…" Shepard trailed off; unable to come up with a good enough excuse to get out of it.

"Don't make me make that an order, Commander."

She knew the doctor was kidding, but the underlying meaning was more than clear.

"Okay, okay – I give. What time?"

"Uhmmm… I think Joker said 2000 hours."

"Great….Joker's gonna love this." Shepard said as she left the Med Bay.


	2. Evasion

CHAPTER 2: EVASION

Shepard rounded the corner and headed towards Liara's office, carefully avoiding the Main Battery. She wasn't in the mood to have that inevitable conversation. She picked up her pace a little bit praying the Battery doors didn't open. They didn't. She breathed an audible sigh of relief as she walked through Liara's door and felt the doors quickly slide shut behind her.

"Shepard…you can't avoid him forever you know." Liara said without looking up from her terminal.

_Crap. How did she know? Was it that obvious?_

"What are you talking about Liara?" she asked, trying to pawn off the best nonchalant voice she could muster.

Liara leaned back in her chair turning around to give her dear friend a knowing look.

"What?" Shepard said again; palms up in feigned innocence.

"Don't give me 'what?' You know very well what I'm talking about."

_Shit._

Shepard sank into a nearby chair and leaned back closing her eyes. Liara was the only one who knew what happened between her and Garrus during their last mission – before her 6 month 'incarceration'. She wasn't ready to tell anyone at the time but couldn't contain herself and confided in Liara in a moment of weakness. She and Garrus had decided to keep it between themselves at the time, not knowing how the crew or their friends and family would react. She didn't even tell Garrus that she had told Liara and made Liara SWEAR not to breathe a word of it to anyone – not even Garrus. Liara reluctantly promised and that promise was even harder to keep while Shepard and Garrus were separated.

"Shepard….." _Here it comes…. _"you have to talk to him eventually you know. We are on a ship; at some point you are going to run into each other."

"Not if I hide in my cabin…" she chuckled softly.

"Really, Shepard? What's the problem? Why won't you talk to him?"

"Honestly?... I don't know."

_Liar!_

She knew very well why but she couldn't bring herself to confide her darkest secret to her closest friend. The thought of talking to him after what happened between them scared her.

"I guess…..I'm scared Liara. I don't know what to say. I don't even know why I'm scared – I just am."

_Scared? Really? I can take on Saren, Sovreign, the Geth, even the Collectors – but I can't face Garrus. How ridiculous is that?_

Liara sat back in thought for a moment.

"Sera," she said choosing her words carefully, "Garrus contacted me while you were incarcerated. He wanted to know why you weren't responding to his messages…"

"Wait. He sent me messages? I never got anything," Sera said opening her eyes and looking at Liara in surprise.

"I know you didn't. Being the Shadow Broker has its advantages you know. I did some digging and I didn't have to dig very deep either but I found out why they weren't going through. They were being intercepted by the Alliance – politics, not to mention your involvement with Cerberus. They cut you off without telling you. Even I couldn't send anything. They only let family and other Alliance members –not involved in the mission, of course – send you messages which is why you heard from your mother and a few Alliance friends."

Sera mulled that over. Liara was right. She hadn't received anything from anyone – just her mother and a few Alliance friends from before the Normandy. She just assumed that they had all moved on. In the beginning she had watched for a message from Garrus but in time it was evident that she wasn't going to get one. It never occurred to her that the Alliance would intercept it. Why would they? She had been honest with them and told them everything – well, everything that pertained to the mission anyway. It wasn't any of their business what happened in her personal life. She desperately wanted to read those messages but was too frightened to know what they contained.

_He must be so hurt, so…betrayed. Oh God. _

Instinctually she always wanted to fight for what she believed in, what she stood for… but this….this wanted to make her run – flee and never look back. Suddenly she felt like she was on a runaway train…

_Oh dear God._

She felt like the breath had been sucked out of her. Her body felt hollow – disconnected – except for the pain in her heart. This excruciating pain – the same pain she felt the day her mother told her Dad was gone.

Liara watched her friend carefully, letting the words sink in – surprise, anger, hurt, betrayal… and fear crossed her friend's face. The fear didn't leave – and tear escaped down her cheek.

"Sera?...Seraphina?"

Sera's eyes focused back on her friend…she blinked.

"I – I have to go." She abruptly stood up from her chair and walked to the door.

"Sera….." Shepard walked out.

Liara's door shut quickly behind her. She looked around quickly, scanning the area – clear. She pointed herself in the direction of the elevator and walked at a quick pace, willing the Battery doors not to open. She made it just past the kitchen, when she heard the hiss of the doors…

_Please God, don't let him see me._

She made it just beyond the dining tables when she heard the familiar metallic sound of his armor as he descended the steps into the kitchen.

_Shit._

She turned to look – mistake. Their eyes locked. She turned away doubling her stride reaching the bend to the elevator. Her hands were shaking so hard she could barely press the correct key combination to open the elevator doors. The doors slid open and she quickly stepped inside pressing the key for her cabin. Her heart sounded like a bass drum inside her head, reverberating off the elevator walls; absently she wrung her hands willing them to stop shaking. The elevator came to stop outside her cabin and opened. She stepped out of the elevator and into her cabin locking the door behind her. She turned around, back thudding against the door, slid down, and sat hard on the floor. Exhausted and unable to find the energy to move, she sat there for a long time staring into the distance not really seeing anything, her breathing still ragged….


	3. Friend

CHAPTER 3: FRIEND

The doors of Liara's office slid open again.

Still in her chair facing the console, Liara sighed, "Sera, I …."

He cleared his throat, not wanting her to say anything further, making sure she knew it wasn't Shepard.

Liara gasped, quickly turning around in her chair. "Garrus! I – I'm sorry. I thought…"

"Yes, I know what you thought Liara," he said roughly as he slowly settled into the chair that just held Shepard.

"What can I do for you Garrus?" she said pleasantly.

He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted from Liara but he knew he wanted answers. Shepard hurrying so quickly from Liara's office alarmed him. He felt he no longer had the right to ask what was wrong. Ever since their meeting on Menae he so desperately wanted to talk to Shepard – hear her voice again – anything. It was impossible because she had conveniently made herself busy and was never alone, surrounding herself with people. When he thought he finally had the opportunity, she was already gone.

"When did you know, Liara?" he asked her with a pointed look.

"Know what, Garrus?" she said apprehensively, hoping he wasn't asking what she thought he was asking.

He glared and huffed, "When did you know she was coming to Menae?"

"Only a few hours before we arrived. She didn't tell me anything about the treaty or what was involved. I've been rather preoccupied with the Prothean blueprints I found on Mars," Liara answered him, hoping he didn't hear the relief in her voice.

He sat back, pondering her answer. "Would have been nice to have a little warning…."

"Yes well, other things were a little more important at the time… you know, like the Reapers?"

He snorted a sigh in reply, "Hmph…has she said anything about me?"

"No, not really. Why?"

"I've been trying to talk to her but it appears she's avoiding me and I don't know why." He turned to look at Liara squarely, "You wouldn't happen to know _why_ she's avoiding me, would you?"

Liara felt her face flush and turned back to her console not wanting to her give herself away.

"Liara." His graveled voice menacingly low, demanding an answer.

She sighed in resignation, bowing her head, "Garrus….I don't know what to tell you. It's not my place to tell you anything. This is something you and Sera need to work out between you. I can offer advice that's all. I will not betray any confidences from either you or from her. If I do that, what kind of friend would I be to either one of you? My word will mean nothing."

As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. _Damned Asari and their principles._

"I'm sorry, Liara," he apologized; the menace gone, "I'm just frustrated and I don't know what to do." He hung his head looking at the floor.

The pain he felt was almost tangible as she looked at him trying to figure out what to do to help him…help them both.

She started slowly, careful to choose her words. "…I know this isn't how either one of you thought things would end up but I think you both need some time to adjust. Perhaps, let things be for a little while and see what happens. When the time is right, you will both know."

He sat up and looked at Liara intently, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words – if there was any. "Okay...," he said slowly, "let's see what happens."

He stood up and went to the doors and pressed the combination to open them. "Are you coming tonight?"

She smiled. "Yes. I might be a bit late but I'll be there. Joker will kill me if I don't come. Are you?"

He stopped and considered his answer for a moment.

"I don't know," he said simply and walked out, doors sliding shut quickly behind him.


	4. Hurt

CHAPTER 4: HURT

Still sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around her legs, she rested her cheek on her knees. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears come. One by one, they slowly escaped, trailing down her cheeks as a shuddered sigh of relief passed her lips. _What do I do now? _

"EDI?"

[Yes, Commander?]

"How long before we reach the Citadel?"

[Approximately 1.5 hours.]

She sniffed and rested her chin on her knees contemplating what to do.

"Thank you EDI."

[Commander?]

"Yes?"

[Is everything alright?]

A small appreciative smile crossed her lips, "I'll be fine EDI. I just need some time to myself, that's all."

[Very well. Do you require anything else?]

"No. Thank you EDI. Please make sure that no one disturbs me until we reach the Citadel. Notify me when we arrive please."

[Yes Commander.]

She stretched out her limbs and stood up. Slowly, she undid the clasps of her uniform and took off the jacket, laying it over the chair in front of her desk. She glanced around the room. It felt so empty – even with the fish swimming lazily around the tank. The eerie stillness and quiet of the room was disturbing to her – the exact opposite of the CIC. Even after spending all of her life in space, she could never tolerate the silence of it.

She walked over to sound system console next to the bed and thumbed through her favorites. She stopped short as she felt the sharp pang in her heart. _Crap _– Garrus' selections were still in there. The Alliance techs had never touched it.She closed her eyes again feeling the tears prick behind her eyelids, willing them not to fall. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again, purposefully thumbing past Garrus' selections not having the heart to delete them yet. She selected one that reflected her mood and hit play.

The soft notes of a piano filled the room. It was Adam Shepard playing Clair de Lune. Hannah frequently recorded her husband playing, unbeknownst to him. Had he known, he would never have allowed it. Playing the piano was personal for him and a gift he had shared with their daughter. Sera sat very still on the bed and closed her eyes, letting the music calm her erratic nerves. As the soft trills of notes rose and fell, she remembered….

"_Sera? Are you paying attention?" the firm baritone of his voice diverting her attention from the streaking stars in the window. _

"_Yes, dad I am," she replied sheepishly, knowing that she'd been caught. _

_Her dad sat next to her on a bench. His large, slightly rough hands gently guided her much smaller ones over the glowing luminescent keys in front of them. It wasn't the same as the large, elegantly shaped wooden instrument comprised of small felt covered hammers striking finely tuned, taught steel strings that Adam Shepard had often described in his grandmother's house on Earth. Being on an Alliance ship more often than not, the holo of a piano keyboard was the best that he could manage for his daughter. He was determined that she learn how to play. It was important to him that he passed along the Shepard tradition to her. _

"_Show me again dad," she said standing up to watch. _

_He closed his eyes and held his breath as he counted the beats holding his hands above the keys and began. His fingers caressed each of the keys with a tender love, completely enraptured within the music, but with well-practiced precision. The delicate Debussy melody was a much loved one by Adam's grandmother – Clair de Lune – or Moonlight. It was the first one she taught him how to play. Fortunately Sera, she also inherited her father's elongated fingers and finely tuned ear. A few weeks prior, he played the melody for her once and she repeated parts of it back hesitantly. Now, he was showing the finger technique and helping to polish the timing, since her beat count was slightly off. _

_This time, she did not allow herself to stare out the window and made sure to pay careful attention to his technique. Once he was finished, she took a seat on the bench and a deep breath. She heard music begin in her head and closing her eyes, gently pressed each key rendering each note's fragile tenderness. When she finished, there was silence. She looked to her father for approval and found his sky-blue eyes sparkling with pride..._

Listening to her father's music made her miss him terribly, but it made her feel safe. Drifting back to the present, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath deciding that a hot shower would help her relax. She took off the rest of her clothes, dropping them in the nearby bin of dirty clothes as she turned on the hot water. Steam started to fill the bathroom slowly pouring out into the bedroom since she hadn't bothered to shut the door. The hot water on her skin felt wonderful. She leaned back against wall, letting the water work its magic on her muscles. Within a few minutes, she could feel the tension ebbing from her body. She turned around and ran her fingers through her hair, helping the water to untangle the knots.

She reached for the soap, lathering it across her body. She paused midway, as she felt the thin scar pass beneath her fingertips. A small, nearly inaudible sob escaped her throat. She immediately rinsed off and turned off the water. Then grabbed a towel, drying herself off, grateful for the steamed mirror in front of her. She didn't want to see herself in the mirror - never wanted to again. Towel wrapped around her, she walked to the closet, and pulled out her favorite N7 t-shirt and slipped it over her head. She left the towel on the floor as she slipped between the bed sheets and closed her eyes. Her father's music still playing as the comforting void of sleep took over.

"_Shepard…" the low graveled flange of his voice whispered in her ear. _

Her eyes popped open and she awoke with a start sitting straight up in bed. She pulled her legs over the side and sat there for moment; hand on her chest, trying to control her breathing _–Shit! – _willing her heart to slow down.

_Crap! When was that going to stop? If he knew, he could never love me…..Ok, pull it together Sera. You can't think about this now. _

She left the bed and walked over to the closet and selected an outfit for the evening. She paired a snug fitting black tank with a deep red, plunging V-neck top. The thin, silky overshirt was a tasteful yet sensual cut that accentuated her curves nicely. It flowed past her hips and had billowing sleeves to match. She chose tight black pants, her favorite comfortable black boots, long thin, sliver earrings and a few bangles to her look. Now, fully dressed she evaluated her reflection and was satisfied with the outfit while she quickly brushed out her hair, deciding not to put on any make up…_ugh…too much work._

"EDI?" she said as she unlocked and opened her door.

[Yes, Commander?]

"How much longer?"

[We've just arrived.]

"Good. Thanks EDI."

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped into the elevator selecting the CIC deck.


	5. Frustration

CHAPTER 5: FRUSTRATED

Garrus left Liara's office more frustrated than when he went in. He understood her predicament but that didn't mean that he had to like it – far from it – but there was nothing he could do about it either. He had kept his word to Shepard and never told a soul about their time together, so he couldn't very well start now.

_Shit. Now what?_

He could feel the tension throbbing within him. He needed to do _something_ to get rid of it or….._not good._ He headed toward the elevator. Perhaps some sim sparring would help. It had before and it had been a while since he had done any – no need to really, war was a perfect substitute.

In the docking bay, Vega had set up a corner for just such a purpose. He had even hung up his old punching bag from home. As Garrus got off the elevator he could hear Vega grunting as the rattling chains that held the bag echoed throughout the bay.

He rounded the corner. "Vega!"

"Hey, Scars!" Vega huffed out.

"Mind if I go a round or two?"

"Sure. Just remember you break it, you buy it."

"Hmmm…okay maybe not the bag then. Can you set up the sim for me instead?"

"Yeah, okay. Right now?"

"Yeah. Right now."

He needed it – badly.

"Geezz, what's eating you?" Vega said eyeballing Garrus carefully. He didn't know the Turian very well and was wary of him.

Garrus stopped short and looked around and then at Vega, "What?"

Vega chuckled, "No, no, not literally…man you gotta lighten up."

"What are you talking about?" he spat, clearly irritated that Vega still did not clarify himself.

"Hey now, you don't need to get your panties in a bunch. I just meant what's bothering you?"

_Panties? Human terminology was irritating to say the least. _

"It's nothing, Vega. I just need a distraction right now. This seemed like a good idea."

No need to explain the _other_ option.

"Ah, understood – enough said. Gimme a minute and I'll set it up for you."

Garrus nodded, "Thank you."

While Vega set up the program, Garrus cleared some more space in the corner.

"What's your pleasure?" yelled Vega

Garrus looked over at the beefy human and glared in response.

Vega looked up, "WHAT? I just wanted to know what sim partner you want, damn!"

"Then say that," Garrus growled out, his tone much lower and more menacing than he intended, "A Turian or Krogan will suffice."

"Okay, okay…..shit!" Vega hit the key that started the sim and made a quick exit from the docking bay.

Garrus almost couldn't resist the urge to grab the nearest object and hurl it at the human's head. He thought better of it, not wanting to start an inter-species incident – one was already more than he could handle at the moment. The strangled look Shepard had when they're eyes locked in the Mess Hall was freshly burned into his memory. It was all he could do to restrain himself from following her.

An hour later, he felt much better. The three rounds he did sufficiently cleared his head enough to think clearly once more. Definitely not his preferred choice of the two options, but it worked enough for him to figure out his step. They would be arriving at the Citadel within the next hour and he thought he better clean up before they docked. He turned off the sim program and made a mental note to apologize to Vega for his attitude earlier. He headed for the elevator, intending on taking a quick shower before heading to Liara's office.

About half an hour later, he was at Liara's door, pressing the keys to enter.

"Liara?" Garrus called as he entered her office.

"Yes?" she called from the back of her quarters.

He realized she was in the bedroom and that he probably should have called her rather than just stopping in unannounced.

Awkward. _Dammit._

While he quickly tried to decide whether to leave or stay, she walked out from the bedroom wearing a thin robe and clearly nothing else.

"I – I'm so sorry Liara. I didn't mean to intrude." His eyes were wide and he barked out a cough as he shrank back to the door.

She smiled warmly; completely unaware that her state of undress had any effect.

"It's okay, Garrus. You know I'm always available to talk. I was just getting ready before we dock."

"Yeah, about that..." he said walking past her to look out the window.

She eyed him, waiting for an explanation.

"Uhmmm….do you know who else is going?"

"I thought everyone was going…." She was evading the answer he was looking for.

He huffed, "Liara, don't play games with me. You know very well what I'm asking."

She snapped, "Then ask me what you want to know! Who's playing the game?"

His shoulders slumped a bit and sighed heavily. _She's right – again_.

"Fine. Is Shepard going?"

"I don't know. She didn't say. Actually, she left my office before I even had the chance to ask her."

"Really? What happened?"

_Finally some answers!_

Liara pondered for moment, debating on what she should or could tell him without betraying Sera's confidence.

"Remember when you asked me to find out why she wasn't responding your messages? Well, I told her about that..."

He stood up straighter; mandibles tight against his jaw as he held his breath. "And?"

"She said she didn't know you had sent her anything. No one told her. Then she just got up and walked out."

_But that doesn't explain that look on her face or the scent of fear…why would she run? She was afraid….wait, afraid? Of what? No…not what… she's afraid…of me? Why?_

"Yes, I know. I saw her leave…." he confessed.

"Well that explains your visit earlier..." She wasn't bothering to hide her annoyance.

He looked away in defeat, "But you didn't see her face after she walked out. I did. Liara…..it was like she was afraid of me. Why?" The tone of his voice lowered, the flange making it nearly inaudible.

"Garrus…" she said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

The sound of the door sliding open caught them both by surprise. Garrus turned sharply and saw the svelte, yet imposing feminine form standing there. Her scent hit him before he could focus his gaze on her.

_Oh Spirits!…. she smells exquisite…_

He took in the vision before she could disappear – long, ebony black tresses with rich red undertones emphasized by the top she wore. The soft tinkling of the long, thin, silver earrings that brushed against her neck just above where the neckline of her top had slipped off her shoulder, revealing the silky whiteness of her skin.

Her startled sapphire blue eyes grew wide. Without saying a word, she turned and left just as quickly as she had come. He and Liara looked at each other, silently exchanging concerned thoughts. Neither one of them knew what to do.

"Don't worry Garrus, I'll talk to her." Liara said as she stepped away from him and walked back to her bedroom.


	6. Family

CHAPTER 6: FAMILY

On a whim she decided to stop in and see Liara before going to the CIC. She felt that she owed her friend an apology for bolting earlier. Forming the apology in her head as she walked toward the door, she pressed key combination that unlocked it. She opened her mouth to speak as her eyes scanned the room for her friend, growing wide as they locked in on the Turian standing by the window.

_SHIT._

The carefully thought out apology left her head –blindsided by the sight of her 2 closest friends apparently in the middle of something she definitely didn't want to know _anything _about. She turned on her heel and walked away unsteadily from the doorway to the nearest table and held onto the edge bracing her body against it. She couldn't breathe, couldn't feel her legs; ragged gasps escaped her lips as she desperately tried to pull herself together.

_Ok, Shepard. You got this. Crap! You gotta rein this shit in before it gets out of control. How am I going to do that? Fuck! Slow. Down. Breathe. _

She forced herself to take a deep breath and blow it out. Feeling better, she straightened up and walked back to the elevator determined to get through the next few hours without losing it. There would be time for that later. Right now, there were more important things to do.

She stepped out of the elevator into the CIC. She paused, closing her eyes, letting the familiar sounds seep in and calm her. Feeling more in control, she opened her eyes and walked over to her message terminal.

Perusing the messages, she absently called over to the Specialist, "Anything new Traynor?"

"Yes Commander. Your mother's ship will arrive in about an hour. Admiral Anderson called and is very anxious to meet with you. The Salarian dalatrass is also anxious to meet with you and will also be waiting with Anderson in his office. The crew wants to know when you want them to report back to the ship."

"Okay, I'll head over to Anderson's office immediately. Tell my mother that I'll meet her at the café at 2000. That should give her enough time to settle in. I'll send the crew a message after I meet with Anderson about when they need to report back."

"Yes Commander. Will there be anything else?"

She thought for a moment, "Yes, have Gardner send me the list of things he needs. We might as well pick them up while we're here. Also, send me the location of the best florist on the Citadel. After that, you can go. Enjoy your night off Traynor."

"Thank you, Commander."

Shepard walked toward the cockpit heading for the airlock. Joker let out a low whistle when he saw her approaching.

"You look hot, Commander," he said leering a bit.

"Thanks, Joker. Now get the hell off my ship," she retorted with a grin.

"Don't need to tell me twice. I'm outta here. Come on EDI! Hey, are you coming tonight Commander?"

"No, I'm sorry, Joker. I can't. My mother is arriving in a bit and I want to spend time with her. Never know when I'll get another chance for that."

"Understood, Commander. You're gonna miss a hell of a party though"

"Raincheck?"

"Sure. I'm gonna hold you to that, Commander."

He left Liara's office in a somber mood; the vision of Shepard still fresh in his mind.

_Spirits she's more beautiful than I remember and her scent…._

He felt his plates shift slightly _not now_. He closed his eyes forced himself to focus. Liara had promised him that she would find a way to talk to Shepard with a warning that she may not be able to tell him everything she learned. She was holding fast to being a true friend to both him and to Shepard. He reluctantly accepted that what other choice did he have? After collecting a few items from the Battery, he headed for the airlock. His omni-tool blinked with a message from his sister unexpected.

_Hey just wanted to check on you well someone has to you know. I'm passing through the Citadel tomorrow morning. Have to pick up some things for mom and finalize the paperwork for the facility where she's trying a new treatment. If you're not too busy running after Reapers or whatever it is you do, want to meet up somewhere?_

_Sol_

Typing his response quickly,

_Hey yourself yeah that sounds good. Will that be before or after you meet up with your boyfriend at C-Sec? Seriously though, we need to talk. A lot of things are happening. Want to meet at the usual place?_

_Garrus_

Her response came back even quicker and he chuckled. He knew he'd called her out she _never_ missed an opportunity to hook up with that smooth talking, paper pushing desk jockey at C-Sec.

_Yeah the usual place is fine…. Jackass! 0900 ok?_

He couldn't resist….

_Won't that be a bit early for you?_

He knew damn well she wasn't passing through in the morning. She'd be arriving sometime tonight, taking full advantage of her opportunity. He barked out a laugh as he read her quick reply, knowing his implication was not lost on her.

_Shut the fuck up, asshole. See you at 1000. _

Chuckling, he walked out of the airlock and into the docking bay of the Citadel. Noting the time, he decided to grab a quick dinner and see what new weapons and ammo the shops had to offer. Then he would head to Purgatory and hope like hell that Shepard would be there.


	7. Trap

CHAPTER 7: TRAP

The elevator came to a halt at the Embassy level and opened its doors. Shepard stepped out and headed toward Anderson's office. Her omni-tool blinked and she pulled up the messages – one from Gardner with all of the items he needed for the ship, one from Traynor with the location of the florist, one from Dr. Chakwas with the manifest of medical supplies to trade with Tactus and one from her mother. She opened the last one:

_Seraphina,_

_I just arrived and got your message from Specialist Traynor. I'll see you in a little while for dinner._

_Love,_

_Mom_

She sighed heavily as she stood in front of Anderson's office door.

_Hopefully this doesn't take long._

She pressed the keypad and the doors slid open. Anderson's personal assistant looked up from behind his desk.

"Ah! Commander Shepard! Councilor Anderson is expecting you. Please go on in," he said as he opened the doors to the inner office.

Anderson and the Salarian Dalatrass were arguing but quickly stopped when the doors opened and they both turned to see her in the doorway.

"Shepard!" Anderson called happily walking toward her, arm outstretched to greet her.

She took his hand in hers as they embraced each other in a warm hug. Her mentor from their days on the first Normandy, they had become close after her father passed away. Even though he would never take her father's place, she regarded him with the same type of affection and respect.

They broke apart and she moved toward the Dalatrass with her arm outstretched in greeting. The Dalatrass took her hand briefly then let go, walking over to the table and chairs near the window opposite the entry.

Shepard turned her attention to Anderson quietly asking, "What was so important that I needed to come here?"

"Well Shepard, there are a number of things we need to discuss, but let's not keep the Dalatrass waiting."

They walked over to the Dalatrass and sat in the chairs around the table.

"Well, Shepard, I'm sure you heard the discussion Anderson and I were having."

"Not exactly, but the volume was a little hard to ignore."

"I came to confirm the rumors I heard about you Shepard."

"And what would those be?" she scrutinized the Dalatrass.

"Well to begin, it would seem that Primarch Victus has asked for some help defending Palaven."

"Yes, that's true…."

"And that help would come from the Krogan…"

"True again Dalatrass. Would you mind telling me where this is going?"

"It would seem that this gives the Krogan the upper hand. Humanity needs the Turians. The Turians need the Krogan. You don't think that Urdnot Wreave won't use that?"

"For what exactly?" Shepard asked sharply, not bothering to hide her irritation, wanting the Dalatrass to get to the point.

"Let's leave that there for a moment shall we?" The Dalatrass eyed her carefully.

Shepard was silent, donning an unreadable mask, refusing to let anything convey what she thinking or feeling. Anderson stared at the two females. He already knew where this was going. It's what he and the Dalatrass were arguing about when Shepard arrived.

"What do you know about the Chimera facility, Commander?"

Everything stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. She was deathly still as the color drained from her face.

_Breathe dammit! –_ willing her lungs to take in air. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, pounding out every second.

"Shall I tell you about the facility, Commander?"

"No," Shepard ground out, so low it was almost impossible to hear. She already knew about the facility; more than she _ever_ wanted to know.

_Oh God. Don't say any more…._

She turned to Anderson. Her sapphire blue eyes blazing with hurt, betrayal, and anger.

"How could she know? You told me it would be CLASSIFIED! NO ONE would EVER know._" _Her voice was ragged and hoarse, barely able to get the words out.

Anderson looked away, unable to face her.

"He didn't tell us anything," the Dalatrass solemnly began, "We suspected something was amiss when no one could confirm that you were on Earth. You dropped off the galaxy. The MOST valuable asset in the Alliance, to Earth, to humanity and yet no one could find you. Obviously, whoever did the research on finding a place for you didn't dig deep enough. The Chimera facility was founded and funded by the Salarian Union about a hundred years ago. Over time, a new facility was built and the Union no longer needed the old one. It was only logical that they make it available to the Council to use as needed. With humanity's new acquisition of a seat on the Council….." She didn't have to finish.

Shepard finished it in her head staring at Anderson _…I was granted access by association._

"I couldn't find anywhere else that was well equipped enough to take care of you," Anderson said softly. "I had no other choice -" He stopped not knowing how to continue "…I didn't know what else to DO! I classified and encrypted _everything_. It was the most advanced research, top secret, classified facility that we had access to. Only a select few have access…..it was the safest place I could think of to put you…" he sighed heavily.

Shepard was silent. A million thoughts raced through her head…_who else knew? Who else could find out? What do we do now...wait.._

She turned to look at the Salarian, studying her face, trying to discern any nuance that would indicate what the Dalatrass wanted.

"Shepard, the implications of what the three of us know are highly controversial – enough to start another war between humanity and the Turians. But we are not above using it to serve the greater good of the galaxy."

Shepard still said nothing, waiting for the Dalatrass to continue.

The Dalatrass got up and walked to the window, staring out at all the ships arriving with refugees.

She continued, "We are not opposed to the Turians and Krogan agreeing to a Treaty that will benefit us all in this War. We are, however, concerned with the terms of said Treaty. Therefore, once you have the Primarch and Wreave aboard your ship to discuss the terms of this Treaty, you WILL invite me aboard as well to participate in the discussion."

Shepard didn't like being manipulated – she HATED it. Cerberus was bad enough but this was too far! She stood up, glaring fiercely at the Salarian, blue fire burning brightly in her eyes.

"How _DARE_ you? What the hell gives _YOU _the right to dictate any of this?"

The Dalatrass whirled around, her robes swirling and locked eyes with Shepard. "How dare _I_? How dare _you!_ _You_ created this with _your _recklessness!" She spat, _"_Did you not think there would not be consequences? I knew it was too soon for humanity to be on the Council. Your species is far too young to handle such responsibility. If I were in your position, I would choose my next words very, very, carefully." She crossed her arms, waiting for Shepard's answer.

_She's right. I did this. I have no right to argue. What have I done?_

Shepard sank back into the chair.

"Okay, Dalatrass. Once the Primarch and Wreave are ready to discuss the terms of the Treaty, I will let you know."

"Good. The matter is settled." The Dalatrass walked toward the door, robes flaring out behind her.


	8. Advice

CHAPTER 8: ADVICE

Shepard was speechless. The room was deathly silent. Anderson got up and walked over to the glass case behind his enormous desk. He selected a bottle from the third shelf and two glasses. Setting them on the desk, he carefully poured the amber liquid into each of them. He picked up the glasses and walked back over to her. He offered her a glass as he sat down in the chair across from her. She gratefully accepted it, taking a generous mouthful before setting it on the table. The liquid was rich and warm, burning a trail down her throat.

"I'm sorry, Shepard," he offered weakly, studying his glass. "She blindsided me. I had no idea why she came to see me and then she dropped that bomb right before you walked in. What right did she have to use that? I swear Shepard, if I had known that there was a leak from the inside, I would never have put you there…."

"I know," she reassured him. "What do you think we should do?"

"Well…" he started slowly, thinking "…it pretty much goes without saying that the Krogan are going to want a cure for the genophage."

"There's nothing else we have that they would want."

"Christ, Shepard. You know what that means don't you?" he spat.

She nodded. "No wonder the Dalatrass paid us a personal visit."

He studied her face for a moment. "I know this isn't any of my business to ask but…"

She looked down at the glass on the table. "It is your business now and, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for involving you. But I'm NOT sorry for what happened."

"I'm partially to blame for this mess, too. I should have been more thorough in my research, but we both know that we couldn't let anyone else do it." He paused. "Sera, besides you, me, and now the Dalatrass, who else knows about this?"

"Only my mother."

He stopped short. "You didn't tell Garrus?"

"I – I can't," she said simply.

"What? Why the hell not? Don't you think he has a right to know?"

"David, I can't do it. I'm still trying to think of how to tell him now. I know he needs to know, but when he finds out…" She broke off.

"Well, you better tell him sooner rather than later or he _will_ find out from someone else…" He stopped as the doors to his office opened and his assistant walked in.

"Councilor, you have a visitor. She says she won't leave until she sees you."

Anderson peered through the doorway and a heartfelt grin spread across his broad face as he entered the outer office. Shepard could her some whispering and then footsteps returning. Her ears perked and her head slowly turned in the direction of a woman's voice in harmony with Anderson's.

"Mom!" A relieved and happy smile broke across the younger Shepard's face.

"Seraphina!" The older Shepard was overjoyed seeing her daughter sooner than she anticipated.

They embraced each other in a long overdue warm hug. They had last seen each other at Captain Adam Shepard's funeral, a little over 2 years ago. It was a long time to be apart but, with each of them in the Alliance, one an Admiral and the other now a Commander, it was virtually impossible to be in the same place at the same time. Recent events made it even more difficult. The best they could manage was to send one another holo-messages when they could. It was how Sera told her mother about Garrus….and what happened during her court martial.

They pulled apart, each studying the other. As far apart as they were in age, the younger woman was a spitting image of the older one, save for one thing: her sapphire blue eyes, the one trait that Hannah was ecstatic her daughter had inherited from her husband. They were a deeper, brilliant (especially when her emotions were strong) blue and stunning set against the ebony black hair her daughter had inherited from her. One thing was for certain, the younger Shepard would never have to worry about aging gracefully.

"Sera! What's wrong?" Hannah asked, giving her daughter's face a once over. Even though they had been apart for so long, there were some things you can't hide from a mother. Sera's pale face and midnight blue eyes framed by dark circles told her everything.

"Mom…." she began and then faltered, not really knowing how to continue. She looked over at Anderson for help.

"Hannah…" he began, "the Salarians are threatening to blackmail Sera with what happened at Chimera."

Hannah's mouth gaped. "What?" She looked at her daughter for further explanation.

Sera explained, "The short of it is, if necessary, they will use it as leverage to control the terms of the treaty between the Turians and the Krogan so that Earth can get the help it needs. The Dalatrass is convinced that the cost for Krogan aid will be steep. So, she demanded to be a part of the negotiations or else she will release what happened to me at Chimera."

"Oh dear God," her mother said sinking onto the couch and the other two followed suit.

All three were silent for a few minutes, each trying to think of a solution to the problem.

"Sera, have you told Garrus yet?" she asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear her daughter say it.

Sera shook her head solemnly.

"Seraphina!" Hannah admonished her daughter.

"I know mom. I just….can't. It's not that I don't want to. I do. When I even think about telling him, my mind goes completely blank. There are no words. Hell, when I see him, I want to run."

Hannah pursed her lips into a thin line, frustrated with her daughter. It was ironic that her daughter, the Great Commander Shepard, couldn't figure out how to handle a situation such as this. It didn't surprise Hannah at all that this is way her daughter would react, though. She had been this way all of her life. It seemed that her courage was somehow inverted. Everything that seemed insurmountable, hopeless and desperate, Sera grabbed by the balls and got it done. When it came to her own vulnerabilities, however, a wall went up and aversion was the number one tactic. She could thank her husband for passing that trait on to their daughter, the subtle but obvious flaw in the Shepard armor. The only way she could get through to either Adam or Sera was blunt confrontation; sometimes a swift kick in the proverbial 'ass' was all it took.

"What happens if he finds out from someone else? Have you considered that? If he does, you know it will be far worse."

"I know but what if…"

"What if what? What if he hates you? Walks away? Completely loses it? What?" Hannah said, exasperated.

"Yes," Sera said simply.

"Do you love him?" she barked at her daughter, her tone demanding an immediate answer.

"Yes! Of course I do," Sera bit out more sharply than she intended.

"Then it's a chance you'll have to take. If he doesn't understand, then he never deserved your love. But what if none of those things happen? What if he loves you more? Wants more? Wants you?"

Sera knew her mother was right. She would never know if she didn't tell him.

"I know you're right, mom. It's always easier said than done though."

"Of course I'm right, Sera. Once you tell him, then you can work together to take care of the problem with the Dalatrass. The fight with the Reapers is more than enough to deal without having to worry about Humans and Turians going to war – again."

Sera shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry mom."

Hannah studied her daughter's face. It had changed so much since Adam's funeral. Her young, soft, lightly freckled cheeks now bore the glowing scars of her cybernetics, the only tell-tale sign of the horrors she had faced. Her eyes, which once beamed with a passionate blue flame for adventure, now had a permanent dark shadow behind them. It saddened Hannah that Adam wasn't here to give their daughter the advice she desperately needed and tried to think of what he would say.

"Don't be sorry, love. We can't help who we love. We just hope they love us in return and somewhere in between things will be as they are meant to be," she said, softening a bit but still firm.

"Thanks, mom," Sera said, smiling, finding solace in her mother's words. Her father's absence felt more poignant than ever, knowing that her mother was trying to fill the void.

"Now, what do you say we go have some dinner? I'm starving. David, would you like to join us?"

Shepard nodded getting up from the couch and David smiled as he offered his arms to the two women to escort them out.


	9. Cherry

CHAPTER 9: CHERRY

While Sera Shepard meets with Anderson & the Dalatrass, the SSV Orizaba pulls into the bay next to the SSV Normandy.

As her ship docked at the Citadel, a lot of things weighed heavily on Hannah Shepard's mind: the Reapers, the Crucible, Earth, Sera, survival of the galaxy as a whole. She knew that a lot of things hung in the balance and time was of the essence. It was crucial that the right people be in the right places if they were going to stand a chance against the Reapers and she was going to make damn sure that happened. After the Reaper's annihilation of the Arcturus station along with the bulk of the Alliance Navy's leadership, things changed swiftly. Hackett had contacted her as soon as he could, along with a few dozen others; knowing that it was imperative that they establish leadership in the chaotic aftermath. She didn't particularly care for her new promotion to Rear Admiral; having turned it down once before, but she knew the Admiral rank inherently commanded people's attention. After a brief meeting, roles and responsibilities were delegated out and set in motion.

She had initially planned on having a holo meeting with Anderson about the decisions that were being instigated, but scrapped the idea when Sera said she was going to be at the Citadel too. Instead, she sent Anderson a message letting him know she would be arriving soon and to make some time to meet with her. She sent him a quick message via omni-tool letting him know she had arrived but didn't get a response. After making her way through the docking area and countless refugees, she headed toward his office. Surprised by young polite private that occupied Udina's desk, she was informed that Anderson was in a meeting and would not be available for another hour. Filing the question of Udina's whereabouts away, she glanced at her omni-tool and decided that was acceptable. With some time to kill, she thought about what to do and remembered the bar that she and Adam used to stop at when they were on the Citadel. A drink sounded like a great idea right now.

As she walked through the door, she gave the place a quick once-over. The bar looked almost the same as she remembered – _hmmm…when did they add a pool table?_ She surveyed the customers as well, noting that most of them were Alliance, but the Turian sitting on one of the couches looked vaguely familiar. She found an empty stool at the bar and tried to remember where she had seen him before….

After grabbing a quick meal and perusing the shops for the latest in weapons, mods and ammo, he decided a drink would help to calm his nerves before meeting the crew – and hopefully Shepard. Garrus stopped in at a bar near the Gardens. It was a small place tucked a little ways off the main thoroughfare. It was pretty nondescript, without any flashing lights, screaming neon colors, loud music or the seediness of After Life. It retained a certain richness of aging antiquity in the subtle elegance of the black and brown tones of the furniture and dim lighting. A few round tables and chairs were strategically placed in the middle where some were playing rounds of Skyllian Five. One of the walls was lined with comfortable couches and low-lying end tables while the other was lined with about a dozen 5 foot long sticks. In front of the sticks, occupying the back of the bar, sat a large rectangular table, without any chairs. It had 6 round holes inset into its slightly raised outer edge and a triangle-shaped group of round objects sat in the middle.

He ordered a drink from the bar, his favorite Turian brandy, and took a seat on one of the couches. He took a generous sip and leaned back into the couch slowly, savoring the slow burn of the brandy running down his throat. He closed his eyes, absorbing the various tones of the conversations and ambient music in the bar. He needed somewhere to think to figure out how to talk to Shepard. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't talk to him. Liara said that she would have a word with her, but the part that bothered him the most was that, even though Shepard found out he had been trying to send her messages, she still didn't want to talk to him. Wouldn't she want to know what he had said?

He opened his eyes and took in the crowd around him. Various species lined the bar stools – not many Turians; mostly humans. Then he noticed a particular human female at the bar with familiar ebony black hair and pale white skin. She looked just like Shepard…he left the couches and walked toward the bar. He paused midway, thinking better of it, and walked around to the side of the bar so that he could have a better vantage point.

_Oh Spirits…Hannah Shepard! _

They had only met one time prior to Adam Shepard's funeral and he was unsure of what and how much she knew of her daughter's personal life.

_Oh crap, she's walking over here…. Shit! What do I say?_

"Garrus Vakarian, right?" She offered her hand in greeting.

He took another drink from his glass and swallowed hard.

He took her hand, holding it warmly between his. "Yes, Admiral Shepard. I'm surprised that you remember me. How are you, ma'am?"

"Oh God, please don't 'ma'am' me, Garrus," she chuckled rolling her eyes. "You can just call me Hannah."

He inclined his head in acknowledgement. "How are you, Hannah? Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful. Manhattan. Double on the rocks," She smiled and walked toward the couch he just left.

_Man-hat-tan…what is that?Double? Rocks?_

He repeated the order to the bartender, a human, and was presented with a short glass, filled with a dark brown liquid over ice and a small, round, red object floating on the bottom. Taking both drinks, he walked over to the older Shepard and, handing the drink to her, sat down beside her. He watched her take a tentative sip from the glass, followed by a larger one once it met her approval. As she swallowed the liquid slowly, fully enjoying its flavor, she caught him watching her intently.

"Go on. I know you want to ask," she said, eyes twinkling, baiting him – _just like Sera, he thought. _

Garrus quickly averted his eyes and ducked his head, but it was too late—he was caught. Her demeanor was so refreshing and warm, just like Sera. Now he knew where it came from. Talking to her mother was just like talking to her. That familiar warmth made him feel alive again but he quickly reminded himself that he wasn't talking to his Shepard. He wanted to ask so many things but didn't know how to choose or what was appropriate to ask. So, he chose the safest question instead.

"What is a Man-hat-tan?" he asked staring at her drink.

Her smile turned into laughter, completely caught off guard by the question. "Really? That's the question you wanted to ask?"

If Turians could blush, this would definitely one of those moments. Instead he looked away and sputtered out a cough. "No… it's not…" he said softly.

"Okay, then. Ask me what you really want to know," she said, leaning back into the couch, studying him.

He thought for a long moment, working up enough nerve to ask, "Is Sera okay?"

The Admiral stopped short, nearly coughing on her drink, and turned her head sharply to lock eyes with the Turian, brow furrowing as her eyes turned hard.

"What happened to her? What's - ?" she said quickly, the alarm building in her voice.

Garrus placed a hand on her arm to calm her. "I apologize, Admiral. That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to …I should have worded the question better." He flustered, feeling that his apology was not enough.

Softening, she sighed in relief. "Ohh…you want to know what's bothering her. Well, unfortunately I know very little. She doesn't talk to me as much as she used to…."

It didn't sound like he knew what happened to her daughter, she assessed inwardly. Only Alliance members, and a select few at that, were allowed into the court martial proceedings so only those who attended knew what happened. Her daughter had sworn Hannah to secrecy and she wasn't about to break her daughter's trust. Mother and daughter began messaging regularly even though Sera was working with Cerberus. She knew that it was a very dangerous thing to do, but she wasn't about to lose her daughter again. Sera told her about all of the recruitment she was doing to gather a crew together for the Collector Base mission. The message about 'Archangel,' in particular, caught Hannah's attention. It was far more detailed than the other ones Sera spoke of, revealing her daughter's opinions and thoughts about the Turian who became a vigilante for justice on the pit called Omega. From then on, it seemed almost every message that followed had some comment or thought about the Turian crew member.

Of course, Hannah could see it long before he daughter realized it: the beginnings of a love born out of a mutual respect, friendship, and honor. Sera never said outright that she was in love with this Garrus Vakarian, but to Hannah it was more than obvious, and she was ecstatic that her daughter had found someone that seemed to treat and love her like no other. It never occurred to Hannah that the man her daughter would find a match in would be a Turian. She didn't care. Her daughter was happy and that was all that mattered. She could see it in the glow of Sera's eyes when she first introduced the two of them. Hannah had never seen such a vibrant glow before; it spoke volumes of a deep love, happiness and peace. Sera deserved that more than anyone.

She did feel terribly for the Turian though, seeing the hurt and frustration in his eyes. She could tell that the relationship he had with Sera had become much more, much deeper. He had a right to know what had transpired that day. She couldn't understand why her daughter had not told him. Mentally, she added that to the list of things to discuss with her daughter over dinner.

He sipped his brandy and sat in frustrated silence, tension building once more.

_Liara won't talk to me. Now, Shepard's own mother won't talk to me. What the hell kind of conspiracy is this? _

"Garrus….I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more but honestly, it isn't my place. I respect my daughter's privacy and her trust. I can't break that – mother or not." She paused, debating on what to tell him. "I can tell you that she needs you, Garrus, probably more than she knows or is willing to admit. My daughter is as stubborn as a Krogan," she said, making a clicking sound with her tongue. "She doesn't let just anyone in. In her position and after everything that's happened to her over the last few years, it's no wonder. She doesn't want to put anyone else in jeopardy. She knows what's involved when she commits herself to something but she won't do that to someone else – even if it's only by association."

Her words were comforting. They gave him strength, especially coming from her. He felt relieved to know that he was on the mark, that he hadn't misread anything. He was about to find out how right his instincts were as she spoke again.

"Garrus….." She paused again, heavily, weighing her thoughts carefully, and spoke softly so that only he could hear, "I know what I'm about to say sounds rather forward especially since she's told me so very little about you and we've only met once." She looked at him hard, a fierce earnestness in her eyes wanting him to believe her. "She loves you. She loves you more than she knows. Just give her some time but please, don't give up. Not yet."

His heart stopped and his breath caught in his chest. Was he really hearing the words she was saying? His eyes went wide as his head swiveled to lock eyes with the Admiral, recognizing the familiar fierceness in her eyes. He believed her.

_Spirits!_

He just stared at her numbly, trying to process the words she said.

The Admiral gave him a knowing smile, one that spoke of years of experience. Looking at him, she saw the love for her daughter in his eyes. She didn't want Sera to lose that, stubborn or not. Apparently, the ebony hair wasn't the only thing her daughter inherited from her.

She handed her drink to the Turian. "I think you need this more than I do. Somehow, I don't think whatever it is that you're drinking is going to be enough," she said smirking. "To answer your question: a Manhattan is named after a metropolis on Earth in a place called New York. To ask for a 'double on the rocks' means that it's made with twice the alcohol and over ice. As for what's in it - Bourbon, sweet vermouth, a splash of grenadine and that red, round thing floating on the bottom is what we call a cherry. It's a fruit that grows on trees on Earth. If my daughter loves you the way that I think she does, I don't think the levo level in that drink matters," she said with a knowing twinkle in her eye as she walked toward the door, leaving him mouth agape – too stunned to reply.


	10. JELLOH!

CHAPTER 10: J-E-L-L-OH!

***WRITER'S NOTE: Sera, Hannah & Anderson meet and go to dinner while Garrus and the crew relax…***

"_She loves you Garrus. She loves you more than she knows."_ Hannah's words echoed in his head. The sounds of the bar faded out. The conversations and laughter, the music, the sound of the glasses clinking on tables – he couldn't hear any of it. He was too stunned, paralyzed by what she had said to respond. As she walked out of the bar, he wanted to go after her and drag her back, make her explain how she could know so much based on so little.

Slowly his eyes began to focus and the sounds of the bar registered once more. He looked down at his hand and realized that he was holding Hannah's drink. He brought it eyelevel and examined its contents. Ice in a drink with fruit - _who puts fruit in a drink?_ He brought it to his nose and sniffed it. _Interesting…_he could smell the rich, warm, sharp spice of the alcohol, but, there was something else too – a light sweetness that took the edge off it. Intrigued, he took a sip and promptly burst in an uncontrollable coughing fit as the hot fire of the alcohol scorched his throat. Nearly doubled over and mandibles flaring, he gasped for air.

_SPIRITS! Humans drink THIS? _

He immediately set the glass down on the nearby table, repulsed by its contents. Still sputtering, he quickly finished what was left of his own drink, trying to override the aftertaste of the other. His mandibles whirled, shaking off the bite of the brandy. He took a deep breath, deciding it was probably time to meet up with Joker and the rest of the crew. He silently prayed that Shepard would be there too.

The pulsating beat of the music emanating from the popular nightclub throbbed through floor of the entire level on the Citadel as he approached the outer entrance. Ignoring the bouncer and the whining protests of those in line, he entered. The doors of the outer foyer to the club slid shut behind him, plunging him into near darkness. He paused for a moment allowing his eyes to adapt to the darkness while the settings on his visor adjusted. Once he could see clearly, he made his way to the entrance of the club. The doors quickly slid open and he was immediately bombarded with the pulsating bass and black lit gyrating bodies. This place reminded him far too much of Afterlife and he definitely didn't plan on staying long at all.

He did a quick scan of the club and found the crew sitting in a corner booth near the lower level bar. As he walked over to the bar, he saw that Joker and EDI were sitting in the middle. Mordin and Vega sat next to Joker while Dr. Chakwas and Liara were next to EDI. Much to his disappointment, Shepard was not among them.

Joker spied Garrus walking toward the table. "Garrussss!" he called, waving him over. "Have sssseat," he slurred, "and don't forget to take that sssssstick out of your asssss firssssst." He burst out laughing.

Garrus shook his head and sat down next to Mordin. Either Joker couldn't hold his liquor or he'd had one too many already. Garrus felt a sudden heaviness on his shoulder and crooked his neck to see Mordin's black bulbous eyes staring up at him.

"Asari-vorcha offspring have an allergy to dairy – _hic,_" Mordin said in a sing-songy voice.

"Uhmmmm…ok…" Garrus replied, not really knowing what else to say. He glanced over at the others for help. "What….?"

Liara and Karin burst into hysterical giggling.

"Joker introduced him to jello shots…" snorted Liara.

"… and he's only had 3!" finished Karin.

_Jello shots? What the hell is that?_

He gave them a puzzled look, not knowing what to ask first. Karin, still snickering, collected herself enough to explain.

"Jello shots are gelatin mixed with liquor. Jello is a gelatin powder that's flavored with sugar and fruit sucrose. It's mixed with boiling water. Once the powder is thoroughly dissolved, the mixture is placed in a refrigerating unit. When cold enough, the liquid takes on a semi-solid state – not solid but not liquid – kind of both. It's a popular dessert or snack on Earth and kids love it. The adult version is that instead of adding water, you add a liquor of your choice. They're served in shot glasses – hence jello shots."

Joker held up his hand, waving it erratically across the table between Karin and Garrus. "Thank-sh for the…. Shi-en-sh les-shon,.. ah… doctor. But uhmmm.. thish ish a.. ba-ar. Ssssooo Gar-russs, how 'bout a ssshot?"

Chuckling and intrigued, Garrus nodded, hoping this wouldn't be anything like the Man-hat-tan that Hannah had given him. Joker waved his arm wildly in the air to get a waiter to bring another round. EDI grabbed and steadied it.

"With your condition, it is not advisable to do that should you dislocate it, Jeff," she said in her sultry auto-tuned voice. Sadly, being an AI, EDI was unable to become intoxicated but she did enjoy watching Joker. She was definitely going to stockpile this vid for later when he sobered up.

Joker grunted at her as a Salarian waiter approached their table. " 'nother round a jello ssshot-sh bubble-head!"

The entire table burst out laughing and Garrus joined them, unable to contain himself. _Joker is NEVER going to live this down._

The waiter gaped at the human, too stunned to respond. Reining in his laughter, Garrus apologized, "My apologies for my friend. He's... uhm…apparently had one too many already."

"Indeed," huffed the waiter walking away from the table. Garrus made a mental note to charge a generous tip on Joker's tab.

Garrus looked over at the Salarian still leaning on his shoulder. The bulbous eyes blinked back unfocused and erratic. Garrus shrugged him off. Mordin sat upright for just a moment, wobbling uncertainly as his center of gravity shifted toward Vega. The slick surface of the booth seat caused Mordin to slide across faster than Garrus anticipated. The momentum causing Mordin's upper half to land and then roll off Vega's shoulder and drop squarely – into his lap – face down.

Vega, who was talking to EDI, broke off mid-sentence; let out a loud painful grunt, as the alien's large –and heavy – head hit his groin. "UNGH! - WHAT THE FUCK?"

The entire table burst into uncontrollable laughter as Vega looked down sharply, staring at the back of Mordin's head. He quickly shoved the Salarian off, pushing him upright back against the booth seat.

"…..problematic…" mumbled the Salarian.

"Get of the fuck off me!" he barked at the Salarian, still wincing in pain from the assault to his manhood.

Mordin's collagen bone structure, relaxed by the alcohol, was unable to retain the position and caused him to slide back toward Vega's shoulder. Vega twisted his head to look at the Salarian, his face contorted in a sneer of disgust.

Mordin blinked back, singing, "I am the very model of a scientist salarian – I've studied species Turian, Asari and Batarian - I'm quite good at genetics as a subset of biology –"

Vega snorted and shifted himself again to put space between him and the alien. Mordin lost whatever remaining balance he had and did a direct face plant onto the table, knocking him out cold and eliciting another round of raucous laughter from the group. Karin and Liara were rolling with laughter, leaning into each other, weeping. Joker hung on EDI's shoulder, gasping for air in between his fits of laughter. EDI sat perfectly still, not wanting the same thing to happen to Joker. She calculated that such an incident would likely result in major reconstructive facial surgery due to his illness. She hadn't mastered the art of comedy and laughter yet, but she was recording the whole incident for good measure. Garrus' mandibles flared and whirled so much they hurt. It had been so long since he had laughed so hard. It felt great and for the moment he forgot about everything else.


	11. Strategy

CHAPTER 11: STRATEGY

Sera, Hannah and Anderson sat around a table at the classy, upscale Phoenix restaurant. Dinner was over and they were enjoying each other's company over a bottle or two of wine.

"So, Hannah," Anderson started, taking a sip from his wine glass, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

Hannah looked at him over the rim of her glass. "We want you to take over the resistance effort on Earth," she said bluntly.

"We?" he questioned. "I thought you were handling that."

"I was, but Hackett and I talked it over. We both agreed that I would be better suited working on the Crucible instead. So, if you agree to take over the resistance efforts, I'll head to the Crucible project from here."

He thought it over for a minute as he nursed his wine.

Sera, listening with interest and confusion, turned to her mother. "If Anderson goes to Earth, you go to work on the Crucible, and Hackett's commanding the fleets – what happens to Earth's Council seat?"

"Udina," Hannah hummed.

Sera cringed inwardly, recognizing the same distaste in her mother's words.

"Hmph," Anderson grunted, sharing in the mutual disgust. "Are you sure that's a good idea? He's been stalking the Council position for years."

"We don't really have a choice, David. We have to work with what we've got and that's not much at this point. If you'd rather, we can send Udina to manage the resistance," Hannah said, smirking.

Anderson and Sera nearly painted each other with the wine they coincidentally sipped at the same time and looked at her to see if she was really serious. There was a small twinkle in her eye that said she was only half serious.

"No, no…" Anderson sputtered, "I'll go."

"See! I knew you would do it!" chuckled Hannah.

Quirking a brow at her and smirking, he said, "You knew I would."

"Yeah," she said, still laughing lightly. "I just wanted to see your reaction if we sent Udina instead."

"Shit, if we did that, we might as well hand our asses over to the Reapers ourselves," he huffed.

Hannah and Anderson descended into a discussion about the internal politics of what was left of the Alliance leadership. Sera found herself expecting to hear her father's voice chime into the conversation at any moment. It felt so strange that all of them should be there and he was not. It made her miss him that much more.

"Sera?" Her mother looked at her, puzzled.

Her mother's voice echoed in the distance…

"Sera? Ser-a?" Hannah said, waving a hand in front of her daughter's face.

Sera's eyes focused as her mother's voice finally registered.

"Sorry, Mom, what did you ask me?" Sera apologized.

"Oh, I was just wondering when you wanted to visit dad tomorrow."

"Uhmmm." Sera pondered for a moment, realizing she forgot to send a message to her crew when to report back. She brought up her omni-tool and quickly typed in a message.

_Normandy Crew,_

_Hope you're enjoying your night off. Report back to the ship tomorrow at 1200 hours. Anyone who doesn't report in stays on the Citadel. _

_Shepard_

"How about you two meet me at my office in the morning – say 0900 hours – and we can all go together? That is, if you don't mind me coming along," proposed Anderson.

"Adam wouldn't want it any other way." Hannah smiled, placing a hand on her old friend's arm.

They were all quiet for a moment, each one remembering the man that was once husband, father and best friend.

A fatherly smile played on Anderson's lips as he studied Sera, seeing so much of Adam and Hannah in her. Obviously, caution was not one of the traits she had inherited from her father. She was every bit as impulsive as her mother. Sera had the calculated precision of her father but the spontaneity of her mother. It proved to be a deadly combination for her enemies and it was no wonder how she had come so far in such a short time. Even though such a combination had proved a blessing in her career, it wreaked havoc in her personal life.

Sometimes her emotions moved too quick for her partners to keep up – first Liara, then Kaidan and now Garrus. Liara intrigued Sera, but by the time she unburied herself from her Prothean research, Sera had already moved on. Kaidan lasted longer because they were both Alliance but his emotions were too wound up in his past. Garrus – Garrus was different. He seemed to be the only one who could keep up and match her turn for turn. It completely blindsided her and now she was the one who couldn't keep up. For the first time, she seemed lost, unsure of herself and for Sera that was unfamiliar territory.

As she sat there with David and Sera, in that moment, a wistful smile played across Hannah's lips as she remembered the first time she met Adam Shepard. Unable to sleep one night, she heard a haunting melody of a piano float down the hallway of the student quarters at the Academy. She hadn't heard music like that since the first time her grandfather had introduced her to the magical instrument when she was a child. Following the melody down the hall, she came to a stop just outside the entry of one of the small common areas. Slowly she peeked in and saw a very well built, young man with tanned skin and dark brown hair, eyes closed in concentration, bent over some kind of holo keyboard. Hardly daring to breathe or move for fear that he would stop, she just stood there staring and listening. When he stopped, only then did she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding so carefully.

He heard her and opened his eyes to see who was watching him. She was briefly stunned when their eyes locked on one another. She had never seen such a color in her life, a cerulean blue like a combination of the Earth's sea and sky. She knew she was hooked and they stayed up the rest of the night talking about almost everything including music and pianos. From then on, he played every night and every night she would come to the same common room and listen. She once asked him why he played it so much. He simply said that when he played, life was calm for just a moment. He felt an inner peace and all of his thoughts were clear, allowing him to let go of things that he couldn't fix or change and solve problems that seemed impossible.

"Sera..." she began, thoughts churning rapidly.

Sera looked at her mother and saw a look she knew all too well. She regarded her mother with a hooded gaze, wondering what epiphany her mother was about to reveal.

"We still have some time to kill," Hannah said in a sweet voice. "Why don't we go over to Ted's for a bit?"

Anderson smirked, letting out a low chuckle. He already knew where this was headed and he wasn't about to say _anything_.

"Ted's?" Sera asked, giving her mother and Anderson a puzzled look.

"Yes," she hummed, "it's the bar your dad and I used to go to when we stopped at the Citadel."

"Why?" Sera asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion, knowing that there must be an ulterior motive hidden somewhere.

Not answering immediately, Hannah stood up to leave and Anderson followed her lead. She knew that if she said anything more, her daughter would never follow and the opportunity would be gone forever.

Following her mother and Anderson out of the restaurant, Sera's mind worked overtime, trying to figure out what her mother was up to. 'Ted's' was only about 2 or 3 minutes walking distance from the restaurant and a lot of the people who visited the restaurant, usually found their way to the bar after hours. Having never had the chance to visit the bar her parents liked so much, she wasn't sure what to expect. About 30 feet from the entry, she heard it and did a mental face palm, knowing it was too late to back out – _Crap._


	12. Calibrations

CHAPTER 12: CALIBRATIONS

'Bubble-head' the waiter finally brought the Jello shots to the table. He dropped the tray on the table in disdain and walked away before Joker could let another one of his scintillating wisecracks rip. If those shots weren't jello, most of them would have been dripping off the table. Each of them took a shot glass – except for Mordin, who by this point, was softly snoring on the table.

Garrus paused, "Wait…"

Karin looked over at the Turian, eyebrow raised.

"What kind of liquor is in this?" he asked, the Manhattan still fresh in his memory.

"Uhmmm," she thought for a moment, her mind a little hazy from the shots she already had before Garrus arrived. "I believe its tequila."

"Te – what?" he stumbled over the word.

"Te – key – la," she repeated, emphasizing the name phonetically.

He studied the small shot glass. It was cold to the touch, as he expected. He brought it to his nose and sniffed. It didn't really smell like anything, at least not that he could tell anyway, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He shook the glass slightly and was surprised to see the contents jiggle. Vega, Liara and Karin were all watching him with amused stares, clearly enjoying his curiosity. Aware of their stares but unsure what to do, he eyeballed them back. Karin and Liara giggled, clinked their glasses, and brought them to their lips. With a quick jerk of the wrist, they tossed back the shot.

He imitated them with his own shot. He anticipated the coldness of it but the texture of the jello caught him a little off guard: an odd mixture of solid and liquid, it was – bizarre and he liked it. The flavor was tart, slightly sour but sweet, dissolving quickly down his throat. He immediately noticed that it lacked the sharp edge of alcohol.

Puzzled, he looked at the women across from him, "This has alcohol in it?"

Liara nodded emphatically. "Oh, believe me, it does."

"Garrus," EDI explained, "the way in which the alcohol and gelatin are combined and then chilled does not necessarily allow one to immediately taste the alcohol. The body absorbs the alcohol slower in this form. Therefore, one can easily consume far more alcohol than one thinks. If you need examples, you may refer to either Jeff or to Mordin."

Satisfied with her explanation, Garrus picked up another shot glass and tossed it back with ease. The rest of them quickly followed suit and the remaining shots quickly disappeared. This time Garrus signaled the waiter for another round – without insult. By the fourth shot, Garrus was starting to feel decidedly odd. His vision began to swim and the bass of the club felt like it reverberated in his bones. He felt like the world was tilting and struggled to keep upright at the table, determined not to end up like Mordin. Liara watched him snickering.

"What'ssssofunny?" he looked at her quizzically and was unaware of his altered speech pattern.

Liara's snickering turned into giggling and Karin joined her. It was apparent that the two of them had done this before. It was either that or they held their liquor incredibly well.

"Nothing's funny," she replied still giggling a bit. "It's strange to see you … uhmmm… what did you call it Doctor?" she looked over at Karin to fill in the blank.

"Buzzed?" Karin filled in.

"Yes, buzzed," Liara said as she watched him waver back and forth.

"Okay, one – whatsssss 'buzzed'? an' two – why aren't you 'buzzed'?" he asked pointedly.

" 'Buzzed'," Karin explained, "in human terms, means that you aren't quite drunk but you're not sober either. It's somewhere in between, but you're definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol."

Liara continued, taking over, "I'm not buzzed for two reasons: Asari hold their liquor rather well. It takes a lot to get us drunk, and I've done this before while you were off calibrating Shepard – errr I mean with Shepard." Liara immediately regretted the words as soon as she said them.

Her words got his attention and his eyes narrowed on the Asari. If Garrus was buzzed, he wasn't anymore. The alcohol may not have made Liara drunk but it certainly loosened her tongue. They looked at each other, fully understanding the implication of her words. Garrus immediately got up from the table and motioned for Liara to follow.

They walked away from the table to a secluded spot where no one would overhear their conversation.

"What did you mean by that?" Garrus demanded.

She shifted uncomfortably, knowing that she'd been caught, "Nothing…it was just…"

"Just nothing," he said flatly, "you know don't you?"

"Yes. Alright, I know," Liara said just as flatly. She didn't see the point of evading him further.

"What, exactly, is it that you know?" He wasn't going to let her get away with this so easily.

She sighed, rolling her eyes – did he need her to draw a picture? "I know that you and Shepard slept together. Is that clear enough for you? Or do you need details?"

He stared at her, his blue eyes ice cold. "Did Shepard tell you or was that one of your Shadow Broker discoveries?" he spat.

She bristled, "Shepard told me. How _dare_ you think that I would use my connections to spy on my friends."

"Fair enough. I apologize for the insinuation," he said, calmer knowing that such information wasn't floating around the extranet.

Nodding, she accepted his apology. "If you're wondering how much I know, it's not much. Shepard only told me that you spent the night together. She didn't tell me any details – not that I'd want to know because I'd rather not. She made me swear not to tell a single soul – not even you because she promised you that it would be between the two of you. She was so happy and so in love, she couldn't contain herself and wanted to share her happiness with someone. She chose to tell me – I didn't ask – just so we're clear."

"Crystal," he replied, "but I still don't understand her behavior, Liara. Do you?"

"No, I don't," Liara pondered, visibly concerned.

Now that they could be open about the situation, they both felt relieved that they could speak freely. Garrus could see Liara's mind working the problem like a child with a newfound toy. He wanted to ask if she would use her Broker contacts to find out any information that would help the situation but thought better of it. Her _principles_ would probably forbid her from doing so. The thought, though noble, made him irritated and he snorted out an exasperated sigh. The sound caught Liara's attention and she raised an eyebrow at him questioning.

He looked back at her, unsure how to phrase the question.

_Oh the hell with it._

"I was thinking that maybe you could, you know, use your contacts to… well…" he trailed off.

Liara looked down for second, and then back at him. "I was just thinking the same thing," she admitted.

He looked at her with mild surprise, "Really?"

"Yes," she said, exasperated as well. "I know what I told you before….but it would seem that there is no other alternative. I don't know what else we can do."

"Alright," he said grimly, "find out what you can – but, within reason. She's kept both of us in the dark for good reason and I think we should be very cautious how we proceed."

"Agreed," Liara said firmly. "I will let you know as soon as I find out something. I have to say, though, that I don't like doing this at all – and especially not to Shepard. She is last person who deserves to be spied on after everything she's done."

"I know, Liara, and I couldn't agree with you more. The truth is that we both know that this is something we cannot allow to continue. We all need to get our heads in game – especially her – if we're going to take on the Reapers."

"Yes, Garrus, that's exactly why I'm agreeing to do this."

"Okay," he said, gesturing toward the crew, "you better go keep an eye on them. I'm going to head back to the ship. I think I've had enough for one night."

Liara turned back toward the table and Garrus headed for the door. Now that he had Liara helping him, he knew it wouldn't be long before he could fix things with Sera. He felt the weight that had settled in his chest earlier that day begin to lift with the anticipation of finally finding out what was going on. He just hoped that he wasn't too late.


	13. Ted's

CHAPTER 13: TED'S

Though the music served only as ambiance for the bar to further its Earthy appeal, the melody she heard was unmistakable. She would've recognized her father's playing anywhere. This particular one was his rendition of one of his favorite jazz compilations. Several different melodies blending into one another, each one highlighted for about a minute before he moved on to the next one. The music sparked random memories from her childhood, mostly of their lessons together and a few of dancing with her mother in their small cabin.

Self-doubt creeping in, she dropped behind her mother and Anderson, beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. It had been so very long since she touched a piano. She didn't even know if she could remember how to play.

"… I don't know mom," Sera said hesitantly.

Hannah led them to one of the common areas just off the entrance of the bar and waited until there was a lull in the passers-by before speaking. She thought for a moment, composing her words and studying her daughter's face: hollow, midnight blue eyes with equally dark circles under them from lack of sleep and untold amounts of stress, colorless cheeks and pale lips.

"You and your father were so alike. Playing always helped him to see things clearly. It brought him an inner peace that nothing else did. He often told me that sometimes it was the only thing that saved his sanity. I believed him." Hannah's eyes glistened with the love she had her husband and their daughter. She swallowed hard before continuing, "You _need_ this, Sera. You may not know it, but I do. I saw it in your father when he couldn't talk about what was bothering him. It brought him the clarity he desperately sought during those times. I see you so lost now, Sera…you..." She stopped. The lump in her throat wouldn't allow her to continue.

Sera felt her heart grow heavy as her mother spoke of her father. His passing cut deeply into their hearts and she had buried herself in recruiting her crew and going after the Collectors. She did not allow herself to think about him too often. It wasn't by choice but by necessity that she didn't allow herself that luxury. There were so many who needed her, depended on her, now. Survival was the mantra repeated everywhere by everyone. She was the key to all of their survival and she knew it. It was something she had realized not long after Cerberus had brought her back. It wasn't lost on her how dire the situation had become for Cerberus to go to such lengths. So much expectation from so many, it was hard to not be reminded daily, even hourly, just how much was at stake. This stress, coupled with the still raw memories of Chimera, threatened the already precarious balance of her emotions. Her mother saw how much everything weighed on her, found her underneath all of it and was trying to rescue her, to show her the way back to the balance she wandered so far away from.

Sera looked at her mother and Anderson for a long moment, deciding what to do. Finally, she let out heavy resigned sigh and caved, "Okay, mom I'll do it for you … and for dad."

With a relieved smile, Hannah gave her daughter a warm hug. It felt good to be in her mother's arms again, safe and protected. Only one other person made her feel that way. She closed her eyes, resting her head on her mother's shoulder and a memory flashed behind her eyelids…

_His hand rested on her shoulder for a brief moment. She felt his talons lightly graze down her arm as if he was afraid she might recoil from his touch. She didn't. Instead, she gingerly stepped into him, wrapping her arms gently around his slender waist and rested her cheek on the crown of his prominent chest plate, listening to his heartbeat. It seemed like it was racing and yet his breathing was even. She felt him place his hands gently on the small of her back and slide one up, talons tracing her spine, to touch her hair. She felt the points of his talons softly tracing the contours of her scalp as he ran his fingers through her hair. Then she felt a pressure on the top her head and the evenness of his breath as he exhaled through his nose._

_In that moment, she was safe, protected from the horrors they were about to face._

Sera broke away from her mother as a shiver ran up her spine. The memory was so vivid in the span of a few seconds. She felt her cheeks flush and blinked quickly to re-focus, praying her mother wouldn't notice.

As they walked into the bar, Sera assessed the environment as she was trained to do. She immediately understood why her parents loved this place. The dimly lit, warm, dark, richly wooded interior had a definite Earthiness that any human passing through would be reminded of their home planet. There was a relaxed easiness that permeated the atmosphere of the bar and Sera could feel the tension in her muscles begin to slowly ebb away. The crowd was definitely on the lighter side and there was the usual light ambient music playing. It seemed to be a good place for little piano music that wouldn't necessarily catch anyone's attention.

Hannah left Sera and Anderson at a table near the entrance and went over to the bartender who was lazily drying off a glass. Sera watched as her mother asked a question she couldn't hear and the bartender disappeared through a doorway at the far end. A few seconds later he reappeared with a second man, one that was much older, closer to her mother's age. Sera saw him give her a mother wide smile and she assumed that it was Ted. She watched as he came around the bar and gave her mother a warm hug as they exchanged a few words. It was obvious that they were good friends. Unable to hear what her mother was saying, she watched the visual cues of their conversation intently. After a moment, she saw the man glance over at her and then back at her mother, shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief. Then he nodded vigorously at whatever her mother said and walked back behind the bar, disappearing through the same doorway. After a few minutes, he reappeared carrying a small case and gave it to her mother. Sera saw her mother's eyes grow wide with appreciation, and she thanked him before walking back towards the table.

Her mother set the case gently on the table as she sat down in the chair across from Sera.

"This is the piano-holo that your dad taught you to play on, Sera," she explained softly, lovingly caressing the top of the case. "I couldn't get rid of it after he was gone and I wanted to keep it somewhere safe." she continued, "So, I gave it to Ted for safe keeping. I'm so glad I did." She let out a small sniff behind her tight smile.

She pushed the case toward her daughter. Sera looked at it, afraid to touch it and accept that it was there on the table while her dad was not.

"It's yours now," Hannah said simply. "You know your father would want you to have it. When we used to come here, he would bring it with him to play. He always said that the interior of this place had the best acoustics on the entire Citadel for piano." Her voice wavered a little and another sniff betrayed her underlying emotions. Sera looked up from the case in time to see a small tear escape down her mother's cheek, making the ones that pricked her own eyelids burn and threaten to fall.

Sera cautiously touched the case, lightly feeling the worn smoothness of it, fingering the clasp that held it shut.

Hannah lightly cleared her throat and spoke again, "You can use the pool table to play. That's where your dad would set it up. It's not the ideal place but it's the right height with a stool."

Sera picked up the case as they got up from the table and walked over to the pool table that occupied the back of the bar.

She set the case down on the pool table and stared at it, reluctant to open it. Hannah undid the single clasp and opened it. Inside was a small black box, set into the plush blue fabric that served to protect it. She lifted it out as put the case aside; setting the unit on the tabletop and pushed a small button on the side. The unit let out a light hum as the familiar orange glow of the piano keyboard flickered to life. The keys that normally would have been white were simply outlined and what would have been black keys, were a solid orange. A small floating keypad hovered above the middle C key. Curious, Sera touched it and a menu opened allowing her to select different music genres. She closed the music menu and found the one that allowed her to dim the glow of the keyboard.

"What should I play, Mom?" she asked playing a few keys, pleased with the clarity and resonance of the notes she hit. It sounded just like she remembered.

"Clair de Lune," her mom immediately answered.

Sera chuckled softly, remembering that she had listened to her father playing it only a few hours ago. She placed her hands above the keys and closed her eyes. The handful of people left in the bar had quieted down some, watching the two women set up the strange looking holo. They started to whisper amongst themselves as they watched the very familiar and now infamous Commander sit on the chair in front of it. An incredulous and young Alliance officer leaned over to Anderson.

"Isn't that Commander Shepard?" the cadet asked, eyes wide with awe.

Anderson chuckled at the young cadet. "It is. I think you better enjoy this because I don't think you'll ever get this opportunity again."

"He's not the only one who should get this opportunity," mumbled Hannah, typing a quick message in the dim light of her omni-tool.


	14. Bait & Switch

CHAPTER 14: BAIT & SWITCH

As Liara walked back to the table, her mind churned out a list of the resources she was going to call upon to find answers. Sera would not be happy that Liara couldn't leave well enough alone but she would get over it and, if nothing else, it would make things easier. She gave the remaining crew members at the table a once over. Mordin was now somewhat upright, head propped up by an elbow lurching over the table. It looked like his metabolism had moved on to the hang over stage already. Vega was neck deep in a conversation with EDI explaining his rules for playing Strip Skyllian Five, regardless of the fact that one: he was talking to an AI and two: that he would be on the losing end of said game to the AI. Dr. Chakwas was still somewhat coherent and trying to convince Joker not to drink anymore. Liara was anxious to get back to the Normandy to get started on her research and she wanted to do it before the rest of her friends were too drunk to make it back on their own. The prospect of carrying any one of them back was not an appealing one. So, after talking to Dr. Chakwas and Vega, it was decided that Vega would carry Mordin since it was evident that he couldn't walk and EDI would take Joker back. Karin and Liara followed behind, chuckling at Joker's antics as EDI tried to be gentle with him and Mordin's body flop around like a dead fish over Vega's shoulder.

-

Garrus left the nightclub; feeling relieved and a bit elated knowing that Liara and her connections were helping him figure out how to get Shepard to talk to him. It had been a long and perplexing day but it had ended better than he could have ever expected. The day's events had definitely taken a toll and he felt like he would actually get some good sleep. It had been a long time since he had been able to sleep and actually feel rested. Tonight was different, though. Now, with Liara's help and the prospect of getting some desperately wanted answers, he felt more relaxed than he had in the past six months.

He glanced at his blinking omni-tool as he passed through the airlock of the Normandy and headed toward the battery. Quickly reading the message from Shepard, he figured there would be enough time to make the stops he needed, have that late breakfast with Solana and still have time to spare before reporting back to the Normandy. He wanted to take a quick shower before the rest of the crew returned. He felt a little out of place being the only Turian on board and relished in whatever privacy he could get. Dropping his purchases off and gathering a change of clothes, a few shower items and a towel, he ducked into the showers. Turning the water on as hot as it would go, he stepped under it, letting out an unconsciously approving hiss. Within minutes he felt the stress ebb out of his taut muscles and his head begin to clear. He enjoyed the perfect silence of the ship without its crew. Most of the time he didn't mind the random conversations that his acutely sensitive hearing picked up but this was one time he was grateful that didn't have to consciously filter it out.

He poured a generous amount of the Turian-designed gel-like substance into the open palm of his hand. The scent of it reminded him of the lush flora of the forest near his home on Palaven. He smeared the substance across his body, massaging the pumice-like beads gently into his muscles and smooth out the unseen imperfections on his plates. After allowing himself a few more minutes to enjoy the solitude and rinse off, he quickly toweled off, putting on a looser and more comfortable shirt and pants. As he settled himself in the battery for the night, his omni-tool blinked again catching him off guard. He smirked lightly, thinking that Sol was attempting to break their date with lame excuse to spend some more time with her desk jockey boyfriend. Opening it up once more, his mandibles went slack as he blinked at the message in disbelief. He bolted upright in his bunk and blinked again, re-reading the message.

_Opportunity's knocking. Ted's bar. Now._

Hannah

He hastily put on a pair of boots and made his way toward the airlock in time to see the rest of the crew returning from Purgatory. His eyes locked with Liara's as she shot him a questioning look. As they passed each other, he pulled her aside and quickly told her about Hannah's message.

"Go!" she said nodding. "After I take care of them," she said, jerking her head toward the rest of the crew, "I'm going to start my research. I'll let you know as soon I've got something."

He nodded his appreciation to her and continued through the airlock into the docking bay. He hadn't heard of Ted's before but assumed that it was the same bar where he'd run into Hannah earlier. The elevator ride seemed an eternity. When the doors opened, he rushed past the few people who were waiting for it, nearly tripping over a volus. Absently apologizing, he continued on, ignoring the wheezing gas bag's torrent of indignant profanity. He slowed his pace, not wanting to draw any more unnecessary attention to himself.

As he made the 5 minute walk to the bar, he wondered what Hannah was planning. Whatever it was, he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. The Citadel was usually crawling with people during most hours but at this particular hour it seemed to be a lot less crowded. He figured that people had found their way to Purgatory to drown their troubles in a glass and the throbbing bass of the dance floor. He rounded the corner off the main thoroughfare, making his way toward the end of the smaller passage. As he passed the long windowed façade of the Phoenix Hotel & Restaurant, his acute hearing picked up a strange sounding music. It was oddly simplistic and uncomplicated, yet pleasing to the ear. The closer he got to the end of the passage, approaching the entry of the quietly unassuming bar, the louder the music became.

His stride became even slower as he concentrated on the strange sounding melody, realizing that it was coming from the bar. Curiosity peaked; he wondered if this was part of Hannah's plan. As he stood in front of the door, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves and entered. The lighting was much darker now than from his previous visit a few hours ago and it took a few seconds for his visor to adjust. When it did, he inhaled sharply at the scene before him, now fully understanding the meaning behind Hannah's message.

The bar was nearly empty in comparison to his earlier visit. Now, there were only a handful of patrons sparsely spread throughout: a couple of Asari, 3 Turians and a half a dozen or so off duty Alliance personnel. What caught his attention, however, was the source of the strange music coming from the familiar face framed in ebony black tresses seated at the large rectangular table in the back of the bar. Her eyes were closed, concentrating on the strange holo she was playing, so he knew she didn't see him enter. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he forced himself to pull eyes away and glanced at the person standing next to him. He hadn't noticed Hannah when he surveyed the bar's patrons and figured that she must have sitting in a corner behind him. That knowing look he had seen earlier and the twinkling in her eyes was back again as she smiled warmly at him. He placed his hand over hers and nodded his gratitude.

She took that as cue to leave as she stepped away from him turning toward the entry. Only then did he notice that Anderson was standing behind her and he gave the Admiral a curt nod as well. Anderson smiled and nodded in return as he offered his arm to Hannah, escorting her out. He turned his attention back Sera, completely captivated by the music her dexterous fingers teased out the simple, yet beautiful melody from the dimly glowing keyboard. He moved silently toward the corner where Hannah and Anderson must have been sitting when he arrived. Grateful that he wasn't in his usual armor, he sank soundlessly into the overstuffed chair.

Over the next few minutes, the bar was silent except for the rise and fall of the delicate music that came from the ancient yet technologically perfect Earth instrument. In an age where most races were approaching the pinnacle of their civilizations, none of them had ever heard the simple beauty that came from her fingertips. When the song came to an end, Sera's fingers glided off the last keys and the music gently melted into silence. For a brief moment, the bar was completely silent. Slowly the humans began to clap while the Asari emitted the soft blue glow of their biotics and the Turians a harmonic purr between them. Garrus kept silent, not wanting her to know of his presence.

Sera opened her eyes as she heard the response from the patrons and felt a soft heat flush her cheeks. Playing 'Clair de Lune' for her mother had given her the confidence she needed to play another song. Similar to the first, she chose another that reminded her of her father and the endless hours they spent together finding and playing new songs. She couldn't believe that she had remembered how to play Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' from memory as well. It had been so very long since had touched a piano and had forgotten the peace that it brought her soul. Inwardly, she chided herself for not listening to her mother – again. Thinking of her mother, she looked toward the back corner of the bar and found a familiar pair of ice blue Turian eyes staring back at her.

Mentally, she cursed her mother – and herself for not seeing the ulterior motive sooner. She briefly wondered if the two had contrived this or if it had been her mother's plan all along. Either way, she had more than a few words for her mother in the morning.

_DAMMIT!_

Interestingly enough, the fear that had gripped her heart before seemed less daunting and easier to control now. She didn't know if it was because of the music, that she was irritated her mother had forced her into this confrontation or a combination of both. Regardless, the need to leave was absent – _mission accomplished, Mom_, she mentally huffed.

He saw the smoldering embers of irritation in her eyes, but there was something else that he couldn't quite place. He wondered if her irritation was because of him or that Hannah had pulled a fast one on her daughter. He confirmed it must of have been the latter since she didn't get up to leave. That actually surprised him – why didn't she leave? He obviously didn't _want_ her to leave, but this time was different. The scent of fearful pheromones he picked up on earlier, wasn't there now – _why?_ Unsure of what to do and not wanting to disturb the delicate balance of the situation, he stayed where he was, watching her.

She eyeballed him carefully. He was tense, sitting in near darkness, waiting for her to make the first move. It was almost predatory. It made the flush in her cheeks burn warmer, turning them a deeper shade of red. Inwardly, she cursed her body for giving away the effect he still had on her, feeling certain that he didn't miss the subtle change. Looking for a diversion, she touched the floating keypad again and scrolled through the selection stored within. After the two melancholy pieces she just played, she looked for one with a more upbeat melody. Scrolling through the list, there were songs that she didn't recognize but even more that sparked various memories from her childhood. One song caught her attention and she smirked, remembering the agony it took to learn it. She had felt like throwing the holo out the airlock in frustration, but her stubborn tenacity wouldn't let her. Her desire to master it greatly outweighed her frustration and she drove herself harder to learn it.

It had been so long since she played this piece, she didn't trust herself to do it without the music. Selecting the song, she waited a brief second before the sheet music flickered to life. Just like with the two pieces before, the music began to float through her mind and she struck the first notes with decisive precision. Her slender fingers danced fluidly among the keys, picking up the tempo as her confidence built and memory returned. Her left hand pulsed out a militaristic sounding beat in perfect measure while the right twirled out a light, lyrical harmonious kaleidoscope of sound.

He had _never_ heard anything like it before and chastised himself for underestimating human culture. Jaw slightly agape, he watched with wonder as her fingers flew effortlessly up and down the length of the keyboard, striking each note without hesitation. He never knew that she could play such an instrument, never mind the skill with which she played. The sweet harmony sent the subharmonic range of his hearing into a whirling frenzy as his brain tried desperately to process the multitude of the tonal inflections of the notes. It was an automatic response to such sound for Turians since they communicated on a secondary subharmonic level beyond other species' ranges.

The music came to an end in the finality of the last two chords. As they dissolved into silence, the Alliance members erupted into a round of light whistling and applause while the Asari followed suit, glowing a brighter, brilliant blue. Garrus allowed himself to join the other Turians in their harmonic appreciative purr since she was now aware of his presence. He watched her cheeks turn that deep shade of red and a small smile cross her lips. He watched as she pressed a button on the unit making the holo disappear. She carefully and lovingly picked it up and placed it in the larger case sitting on the tabletop. She picked up the case as she left the table. He watched her in silence, willing himself not to get up. He saw her stop at the bar to have a short conversation with the older human male behind it. His pulse quickened when she turned away from the bar and headed toward him instead of the door.


	15. Truce

CHAPTER 15: TRUCE

She sank into the other overstuffed chair across from him, tucking a leg under her. Regarding him with a curious gaze, she waited for him to say something. When he didn't, she cleared her throat and called back to the bartender.

"Hey Ted! Can I get a Manhanttan? Straight up…" she looked back at Garrus and huffed out, "make it a double too."

He smirked and let out a snort in disgust, recalling the foul-tasting drink from earlier.

She quirked a brow at him and challenged, "Something wrong with my drink?"

He still said nothing, shaking his head. Even though he and his father never got along, he did manage to learn one thing from him. He learned to listen. It was amazing what people would say in the discomfort of silence. He returned her gaze with an equally guarded look, unwilling to risk saying anything that would make her leave. A million thoughts raced through his head, so many questions he wanted to ask, but he wanted her to start. This wasn't something that could be forced or coerced. He knew this had to be on her terms.

While she waited for Ted to bring her the drink, she contemplated what to say. She knew that her behavior toward Garrus had been extreme, but she hadn't counted on running into him so soon. Thinking that he was on Palaven, she had prayed that he was safe and alive. Meeting him on Menae had caught her completely off-guard and unprepared. Her heart had raced and pounded in her veins, leaving her torn between the impulse to run and the desire to throw her arms around his neck, grateful that he was still alive. She had fiercely pushed down the urge; it was neither the time nor the place. She had gone there to retrieve the Primarch; everything else had to wait.

She couldn't live with herself if he never knew what he had been a part of but she needed time to process everything that had happened to her in the last few months. As she sat only mere feet from him, she knew her time had run out. The memories still so fresh, they wrenched her soul every time they surfaced. Her mind wrestled with what and how much to tell him. She wasn't about to expose everything in this bar. She settled on what to say to buy more time until she could tell him every last detail. She let out a deep sigh as Ted set the drink down on the table between them. Now, this moment, would determine where things between them would go.

"Would ya like anything, pal?" Ted asked, giving the Turian a once-over before returning to the bar.

He shook his head, eyes never leaving Sera. He was more interested in what she had to say than anything else.

"Okay, pal. Just give me a holler if ya change yer mind." Turning to Sera and jerking his head at Turian, "If he gives ya any trouble hun, ya let me know and ole Ted'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Ted but I think I'll be okay," she chuckled lightly, giving the older man a smile.

He grunted in response and walked back to the bar. The human stood behind the bar directly behind Sera, absently wiping an already dry glass, making his point clear. The gesture was not lost on Garrus and he wondered what connection Sera shared with the bartender.

She picked up her glass and took a generous sip, hissing and pursing her lips together. Exhaling sharply, she shook her head free of the bite and set her glass back on the table. Fingers woven together, she laid her hands in her lap. She raised her gaze to meet the one that had once held such tenderness and care. Now, those eyes were guarded, waiting for a long overdue and well-deserved explanation.

"Garrus… I…" she started slowly. "There's so much I want to say. Things have been really… confusing lately," she finished weakly. She looked down at her hands. "I just thought I would have more time…" she trailed off.

"For what?" he asked softly.

His voice sent that familiar chill down her spine, causing her breath to catch in her throat. She felt the hairs on her body rise and the chill of goose bumps spread across her skin. She wasn't cold, no the Manhattan had done its job of providing liquid courage and subsequent warmth. There was something in his voice that made her body react as if to the soft caress of a lover. She exhaled those thoughts, gathering her concentration once more to coherently answer him.

"To process everything, to… figure out a plan," she said softly, meeting his gaze once more. All the emotions she had buried deep in her were beginning to swell to the surface. She didn't know how much longer she could hold out before the control she desperately hung onto gave way to the riptide that threatened to pull her under.

"Everything…" he repeated. "What does that mean? What is _everything_?" he said gently, trying to tease out whatever she was holding back.

"I… it's…" She faltered, not really knowing how to explain and reached for the glass, taking a deeper drink. Huffing out a sigh, she sank heavily back into the chair. She put her finger to her mouth and chewed on the nail, thinking about what to say that wouldn't make the situation worse than it already was.

He shifted in his seat as he watched her think. Smiling inwardly, he noticed that she still had the same tick of chewing her fingernails when she was deep in thought. He watched her brow furrow, eyes darting as she pieced all her thoughts together until, finally, a calm resolve washed through her features.

She looked him in the eye. "Garrus, I owe you an apology," she began. "I'm sorry for what happened today. I should have never treated you that way. A lot of things have happened since we last saw each other…" She took a deep breath and continued, "I need some more time to figure things out but I'll explain as soon as I do. In the meantime, we need to get ready for the Reapers. I need to know that you're with me on this, Garrus. So much is depending on us."

He felt his tension ebb as she spoke, accepting her words. The guarded coolness left his eyes, replaced with familiar warmth that crept back in them. He had been prepared for a confrontation, even one where she would walk out on him just like she had twice already. She had done neither. In fact, she had surprised him and done the opposite. Now, he studied her features, thinking of what to say that wouldn't shatter the moment.

He studied her for a moment; choosing his words carefully. "You know I'm with you, Shepard. That will _never_ change no matter what happens. I will _always_ be here for you regardless." He paused, the terseness in his voice coming through. "But you _owe_ me an explanation."

It was almost imperceptible, but he saw her flinch at those last words. She knew he was right. She did owe him an explanation. In fact, she owed him so much more than that. She wanted to make him believe, make him trust that she would tell him everything. After contemplating what to say for a moment, she decided it wouldn't be fair not to tell him something.

"Liara told me that you sent messages to me," she said uncertainly; his slight nod confirmed it and reassured her to continue sadly, "I never got them."

"I can correct that," he said simply, allowing her to continue. He saw her blink in response and swore her eyes brightened a shade or two.

She felt her heart twitch, unsure if from anxiety or happiness at the prospect of finally receiving the messages. The prospect of reading them made her feel better somehow. Things had been left so incomplete between them when she'd left him on the Citadel. It was bad enough that there hadn't been time to say all the things that she wanted him to know but, even worse, she'd felt hollow not knowing how he felt, if he felt anything at all. Now was her chance to make up for it. If she could successfully open up communication between them, maybe there was still a chance at something. She decided to venture further now that she had regained her confidence.

"Well, I never completed the court martial for what I did to the Batarians…"she started.

"Why not?"

"Well, I blacked out in the middle of it. They couldn't finish it without me," she said plainly.

"_What?" _he whispered. He felt his heart sink and a cold emptiness take its place. His mind reeled with this new information and wondered if Liara knew anything about it.

"I don't know what happened exactly. That's what I meant when I said I thought I would have more time. That's what I really need right now. I just need you to understand that but I _promise_ you that I will explain everything," she said, wanting him to accept the little information that she offered.

He sighed heavily, wanting to accept her promise. Shepard _always_ kept her promises. He never doubted her but he wanted her to explain everything now.

"What do you mean you don't know exactly what happened?" This new piece of information troubled him. He wanted to let her take her time but this revelation was too much for him to let go.

"What I remember was a blur. It happened so quickly. One minute I was explaining what happened and why I had to do what I did. The next, the room started to spin and everything went black. Then all I can remember is looking up and seeing a haze of faces looking down at me and that's the last thing I remember," she tried to explain. "But I'm fine now. Really, you don't have to worry about me, Garrus. After all, I did survive death once you know."

"Yes, but you had help remember?" he snorted. "I don't want to have to go through resurrecting you every two years."

"I remember. I had a lot of help with this, too. Good help – the best," she reassured him. "If I they didn't think that I was able to resume command, I wouldn't be here."

He had to admit that she had made a valid point, one that he couldn't argue with but would have to be satisfied with nonetheless. He started to relax a little, happy that she finally decided to talk him. Mentally, he made a note to personally thank Hannah. That woman was a genius! Although, one thing still nagged at him.

"What about until then?" he asked curiously, the familiar snarky twinkle returning.

"What do you mean?" she asked confused.

"Are you going to keep running from me like a half-brained pyjack?" he asked, half teasing, half serious.

"What? No! …wait, are you calling me half-brained?" she asked, eyes narrowing, her own spark returning.

"No, not all," he smirked, eyes challenging her all the same.

"Alright, Vakarian. It's on. Grab a stick off the wall and get your scaly ass over to the pool table. You're about to find out who's half-brained," she ordered.


	16. Carry Me Home

CHAPTER 16: CARRY ME HOME

He glanced at the wall behind the large table in the back of the bar and understood what she meant. Pool… He vaguely recalled watching some of the humans playing it earlier but really didn't take much notice. Now, he was sorry he didn't.

He walked over to the wall and blankly stared at all of the poles that lined it, unsure how to choose one. Shepard watched him with amusement for a couple minutes before joining him. She plucked one from the wall. Holding it in one hand about a third from the base, she balanced it, testing its weight. Satisfied, she set it on its base and leaned it against the wall. He watched her from the corner of his eye and when she walked away, he did the same thing. After selecting one he thought was acceptable, he dropped it on its base and leaned on it, watching her round up the funny looking round balls he'd seen earlier.

After racking the balls up she looked over at him, keenly aware that he was watching her every move.

"Do you know how to play this? Or do I need to teach you?"

"I saw some Alliance play it earlier but I don't know the rules…." he admitted.

She briefly explained the basics of the game, what to do and how to win. Then she walked to the end of the table, cue stick in hand, and set the white ball on the mark. As she bent over the table, aiming the cue stick at its mark, she felt his eyes burning into her.

The white ball hit its mark with a loud, resounding crack, sending the colored ones spinning in random directions all over the green colored tabletop. Standing up, she watched as a two of the solid colored balls dropped into the strategically placed holes along the edges.

She gave him a taunting grin as she walked around the table, calculating her next shot. She picked her next target and stepped in position behind the white ball once more. He watched as she bent over the opposite end of the table, cue stick resting on her left hand, lining up the shot. Hearing the low growl coming from him, she flicked her eyes from the cue ball to meet his. Mildly confused, she followed his line of sight and looked down at her body's position.

"Really?!" she retorted, rolling her eyes at him and trying to her hide her smile.

"What?" he asked with mock innocence, quickly turning away and walking toward the bar, thinking about that drink Ted offered earlier.

_Dammit! _He swore inwardly, cursing his turian physiology for betraying him. It wasn't his fault that her top fell open when she bent over the table directly across from him. How could she not expect him to notice? He felt the growl grow within him and tried everything in his power to quell it. Apparently it was loud enough that she heard it from across the table. It wasn't even the sight of her body that caused his voice to betray him, but rather one of the vivid memories of how she'd reacted to his touch. Oh, he needed that drink.

He waved Ted over and ordered a double of his favorite Turian brandy. This was going to be a long night and he was going to need help getting through it. He gulped down half the glass as he watched Ted refill Sera's. He exhaled deeply through the bite of the brandy and picked up her glass. He took both glasses and headed back to the pool table. Setting his down on a nearby table, he surveyed the array of colored balls on the green colored table. They were in different places now but no more were missing.

"Well?" she asked with a slight smirk, taking her drink from him.

"Well, what?" he asked returning her tone.

"Your turn," she purred over the rim of her glass.

He felt that growl in his chest threaten to rise again and cleared his throat. He focused his attention on the table again, trying to ignore the effects she had on him. He walked around the table and imitated the stance he saw her take. He fumbled with the pool cue trying to aim it at the cue ball properly and heard her giggle at his attempts. Suddenly he felt the pool cue slide out from his grasp, laughter coming from behind him. He turned around in time to see her shifting her weight onto one leg, cocking her hip to the side. By the flush in her cheeks, he could tell that the alcohol was beginning to have its intended effect. He eyeballed her carefully, trying to figure out what she was up to.

"Having a problem with your aim, Vakarian?" she chuckled with an impish grin.

"What? No!" he flustered, the innuendo not lost him, "I, uh, I'm not sure how to hold it… I mean the stick… the cue stick… uhh…" he sighed heavily, slouching in defeat and palming his face.

That did it. Her chuckling turned into uncontrollable laughter, echoed by Ted behind the bar.

"Really, Shepard?" Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at her, mildly exasperated.

It felt good to see that familiar grin on her face again and the music of her laughter made him smile despite the embarrassment. Seeing the twinkling happiness in her eyes again sent a ripple of warmth through him that he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.

_Spirits! I've missed this…_

Once she calmed down enough and took another swallow of her drink, she sidled up to him.

"Here," she hummed, "let me show you."

She took the pool cue and bent over the table once more, showing him how to position his hands so that he could aim it properly. He watched intently trying to concentrate on what she was showing him. The combination of her closeness and position over the table, her rich intoxicating scent, and the brandy made his head spin. That growl he was desperately trying to control was threatening to surface once more and he fought every urge to pull her upright and kiss her. Instead, he walked over to his drink and gulped a mouthful, hissing unconsciously through the bite of it.

_I'm _never_ going to make it through this game,_ he grunted to himself, taking the pool cue from her.

He imitated her stance once more and placed his thumb and forefinger around the cue stick, copying the position he'd seen her do. His right arm drew the stick back and after a couple test aims at the white ball, thrust it hard. The crack that sounded as the white ball struck one of the striped ones was nearly ear-splitting and he heard a loud gasp escape her lips. The silence that followed was even more deafening. All of the patrons, and even Ted, stared as both balls flew off the table and lodged into the wall.

"Spirits!" he whispered. Could this night get any worse?

Sera stood mouth agape, drink frozen halfway to her lips. Without missing a beat, she burst into uncontrollable laughter, nearly dropping her drink. Ted simply shook his head as the rest of the patrons joined in with roaring, drunken laughter. He reached under the countertop and pulled out another rack of balls.

Handing them to Garrus, he said roughly, "Try not to do that again, would ya? These are hard to come by and they ain't cheap."

Garrus sheepishly took the rack from the old bartender and set them down on the pool table. He picked up his glass and walked back to the bar where Sera was still leaning for support, trying desperately to rein in her laughter. He watched Ted refill her glass and motioned him for another double of the brandy. She took a healthy sip of her Manhattan and wavered upright.

"Okay Vakarian, how about you not thrust the stick so hard this time," she snorted, promptly bursting into another bout of laughter.

An hour, three more Manhattans, two Turian brandy and two bizarre games of pool later, Sera knew she had reached her limit when she couldn't decide which cue ball to hit, but she was determined kick Garrus' ass one more time.

_Half-brained pyjak my ass…_

The pool stick wavered unsteadily in her grasp and, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate; she couldn't get the damn white ball to stop swimming in her vision. She let out a frustrated huff and pulled the stick back to aim again only to feel it pulled away from her. She turned around, grabbing the edge of the pool table to keep herself from toppling over. Pursing her lips together, she folded her arms across her chest and hoped that she portrayed some semblance of control. The music, as her mother predicted, had helped restore her confidence and now the alcohol recklessly reinforced it. The teasing glint in his eye, baiting her, was something she couldn't resist. Had she not been drinking already, she might have had a chance at succeeding. As it was however, there was no going back now.

He leaned on the pool stick, trying to maintain a straight face as he watched her attempt to compose herself. He knew that she wasn't entirely drunk, but it wouldn't take much more to tip her over the edge. Her face was flushed a deeper shade of red, lips slightly swollen from being chewed on while concentrating on her shots, and eyes slightly dilated but burning with her signature defiance. It took whatever remaining willpower he had left not to pull her hard against him and invade her mouth with his tongue, giving her lips a real reason to be swollen. Inwardly, he swore at himself as he felt his plates shift. He really had to stop thinking like that or…..he pushed away those thoughts; none of them led anywhere he could go.

"What the hell?" she growled, annoyed at the over-confident stance he took and the amused glint that he was trying to hide but couldn't.

"I think I've had enough for one night, don't you?" he said gently.

She considered this for a moment, remembering that she was supposed to have breakfast with her mother and Anderson before going to visit her father's memorial. She had a few things to say to her mother for orchestrating the meeting with Garrus and wanted to be at her best in the morning. She stood up, away from the pool table, teetering a bit as she tried to regain her balance. She saw his mandibles twitch and knew that he was trying to hold back a smile.

"Shut it, Vakarian!" she commanded, tilting a little too far to the right and losing her footing. In one swift movement, he closed the space between them and caught her, one hand on her arm and the other at the small of her back. She let out a small gasp as she felt the soft, warm suede skin of his palm against her arm. Looking down at her arm, she realized that he wasn't wearing his usual gloves. He must not have had any time to put them on, she thought absently, her nose picking up his warm, familiar scent. The sensations of such close proximity assaulted her in waves; the feel of skin, his scent, his warmth, his strength, his breath in her hair… _Oh God_…. She leaned into him heavily, forgetting everything else.

_STOP! _Some remote recess of her brain screeched at her, _this is what you were trying to avoid, remember?_

Her eyes jolted wide open and she pushed away from him, finding her own balance after a moment. How could a few seconds do so much?

_Spirits! _That brief moment when she leaned into him was heaven. Those few seconds threw his senses into overload, flooding him with so many memories. He caught her arm in his hand, forgetting that he wasn't wearing his usual gloves, and the touch of her skin lit an invisible flame within his own. The burning sensation spread to his other hand that automatically found the small of her back, feeling the toned muscles beneath her top. He forced himself not to tighten his grip and pull her into him right at that moment she leaned into him. _Spirits! Why did she do that?! _He was immediately engulfed in her scent for the brief second that her head fell into his collar, feeling the silky strands of her hair pass beneath his nose.

He felt her suddenly jolt upright and before he knew it she pulled away, taking the sweet sensations with her. He watched her wobble for second before finding her balance and pointing herself toward the exit.

"Shepard…?" he began, sounding worried.

"C'mon, letsss go back to th'Normandy," she slurred, walking in a wavy line out of the bar and down the passage toward the main thoroughfare.

In a few strides he was walking along side her, but not daring to touch her, lest she pull away from him and topple over before he could catch her. He watched her carefully, giving her a wide berth for the crooked line she walked. The longer she walked though, the more she seemed to wobble and he wondered how much longer it would be before she lost her footing again. Thankfully, they were coming up on the transit station. He quickly walked ahead of her to hail a shuttle and sighed silently, thanking the Spirits as he saw one approaching.

"Shepard, come on this will be faster!" he called to her, hoping it would enough to convince her.

She slowed to stop in front of him, her alcohol laden brain trying to come up with a reason not to take shuttle. His touch still freshly burned into memory, the idea of sharing the confined space of a shuttle felt like she would be asking for trouble. Before her brain could find the connection to her mouth, she felt him grab her by the wrist and pull her to the open and waiting door of the shuttle. She gasped as his touch made another invisible brand on her skin. How did his touch do that her?

He took her silence for consent as the shuttle came to a stop at the platform, the door automatically opening. He deftly took her by the wrist before she could change her mind and pulled her toward the open door. Her balance still hadn't returned, so it made it easy to coax her into the passenger seat. Once he was satisfied that she was safely in, he clicked the control panel on the inside of the door and stepped back, allowing it to shut. He quickly moved to the other side of the vehicle, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't try to drive herself or open the door for a quick escape. He got in on the other side, simultaneously clicking panel to shut the door. Once shut, the drive controls automatically came up and he pulled into the streaming traffic, heading for the docking bays.

He pulled into the transit station closest to the Normandy and powered it off. Sighing softly with relief, he was grateful that she didn't say anything during the brief ride. He looked over at her and discovered why. Her head was turned toward him, chin lightly resting on her shoulder, red-ebony tresses splayed across her still rosily flushed cheek, asleep. He stared at her for minute, taking the time to enjoy the view since there was no danger of her leaving anytime soon. He reached across and pulled the silky soft strands away from her warm velvety cheek, resisting the urge to cup her face. Her eyelids fluttered and he quickly withdrew his hand. He watched as she brought a hand to her cheek, attempting to brush away the now non-existent hair, and snuggled into the seat.

He got out of the shuttle and went to her side, opening the door. She still didn't move. Consequences be damned, he decisively scooped her up from the seat and cradled her against his chest. She snuggled again, her hand lightly rubbing her nose as she sighed softly. He entered the airlock of the Normandy hoping no one would be around to see the condition he Commander was in or, even worse, tell her about it later. His sharp hearing didn't pick up any voices on the other side of the airlock door. Holding his breath slightly he opened it and exhaled a satisfied huff when he found the cockpit and CIC empty.

_Good, if I can get her to her cabin all the better._

He called for the elevator and inhaled sharply when the doors opened and he found Liara standing there.

"Garrus!" she exclaimed, surprised to see him standing there. Then her eyes travelled to the body in his arms.

"Is that….?" Her eyes growing wide. "What happened? Is she ok?"

"Yes, yes, she's fine," he huffed, stepping into the elevator with her. "I brought her back in a shuttle and she passed out. One too many of her Manhattans…" he explained quickly and trailed off when she stirred in his arms again. She shifted slightly, nestling into the space between his arm and chest.

Liara smiled and shook her head lightly. "Okay, well I was just coming up from engineering. I sent out the search inquiry on my datafeeds a while ago and was on my way back to check on it."

"I'm going to take care of her," he said gently, watching her sleep in his arms.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors silently slid open. Liara glanced at the two of them as she stepped out and sighed, silently thinking that Sera better figure out soon what a lucky woman she was.

Another minute or a two passed before the doors opened once more to reveal Shepard's cabin. He stepped out and gently moved to click the code that had allowed him entry all those months before. When the doors slid open, a soft ripple of warmth washed through him, happy that she had never changed the code. He descended the stairs and made his way to the bed. He set her down delicately on the bed and watched as she burrowed her head in the pillow, curling into her side. As he reached for the blanket, he noticed that she was still wearing her boots. He covered her top half and moved down to the end of the bed. Gently he lifted one of her feet and unbuckled the snaps and pulled off the boot, softly setting it on the floor. She moved her foot and stirred once more. He waited a few seconds before lifting the other foot and doing the same thing.

Moving around to the other side of the bed, he reached for the blanket and pulled it the rest of the way over her body. As he bent over to cover her shoulder, her eyes blinked open and held his. He stopped and stared back, waiting to see what she would do. Her eyes were blurry with sleep and alcohol but there was softness in them as her lips curled gently into a small smile.

"Stay," she whispered so softly that only her Turian could hear.

He blinked at her in surprise but she said nothing more and closed her eyes. He stood up and watched her sleep, wondering what he should do. He was contemplating the couch when the orange light of his omni-tool blinked rapidly, demanding his attention. He let out an irritated huff and clicked it open.

_Garrus_

_I found something you need to see. Now. _

_Liara_

He glanced at the bed, watching and listening to the even rise and fall of her sleep. It was the only sound in the room as the cabin door slid shut.


	17. Trial

CHAPTER 17: TRIAL

He stepped into the elevator, looking at Shepard's cabin as the doors shut and wondering if he was doing the right thing. Her whisper still rang in his head and haunted him. It was no more than a few hours ago that he had agreed to her terms and now he was going behind her back, sneaking off to see what Liara had found. If Liara thought it was important enough for him to see, he couldn't ignore it, could he? Still arguing with himself, he stepped out of the elevator and rounded the corner. Standing in front of her quarters, he weighed the implications of what he was about to do. If he went in, he risked losing what little connection he and Shepard had started to re-build. If not, it might be detrimental to the mission. Things in their lives had a nasty way of popping up unexpectedly and they already had enough to deal with. He huffed in frustration, unconsciously letting out a snarl. Liara must have heard him because the door suddenly slid open.

"Come in, Garrus," she called from her wall of screens.

He stood there for a moment, still hesitant about crossing the threshold and what it meant. Noticing his hesitation, she stopped what she was doing and looked over at him, her forehead furrowed with concern.

"What's wrong, Garrus?"

He sighed heavily, trying to figure out where to begin.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea, Liara," he said finally.

"What do you mean? You asked me to do this, remember?"

"Yeah, I know I did," he agreed, "but that was before Hannah's message."

"Alright, why don't you come in and tell me what happened?" she said patiently, leaning on the console, arms folded.

Against his better judgment, he crossed the threshold and the door slid shut behind him, solidifying his choice. He took the same seat that he had earlier that day and absently palmed the scarred side of his face in thought. Liara sat in her own chair and silently waited for him to begin. Over the course of the next few minutes he told her of the evening's events, starting with the moment he walked into the bar. He carefully told her about the conversation he and Sera had, making sure not to leave anything out. If he wanted Liara's help, she needed to know everything. However, when it came to the part about the pool games, he tried to casually talk past it, but Liara was too smart for that.

"Wait," she said with a big smile on her face, "you played _pool_? You actually played _pool_?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked curiously.

"No reason," she said. "I just wanted to make sure I heard you right. How did that go?"

"It went…..fine," he finished weakly.

"Okay, really..." she said, raising an eyebrow, "how did it go?"

"It uhhh…" He paused trying to think how to describe the incident. "Let's just say that I owe Ted some credits to repair the holes in the wall," he grunted finally.

Liara's smile turned into giggling as she imagined what must have happened.

"Did have a problem with your –" she started between giggles.

"Don't say it, Liara," he huffed with a smirk, holding up a hand, already predicting the end of the question.

She shook her head, her giggles turning into laughter. After about a minute, they subsided enough for him to continue his story. He told her about the rest of the night up till the moment they ran into each other in the elevator. Then he told her what Shepard said right before he came her quarters. She nodded, fully understanding his hesitation.

"So, you don't want to see what I've found or for me to look into this anymore?" she asked.

"Honestly? I don't know, Liara. Of course I want to know what happened to her. At this point it's just a matter of how. Either I find out from you or she tells me when she's ready for me to know. The problem is that if I find out from you, I betray her trust and possibly destroy any chance of anything with her. If I wait to find out from her, it might be too late," he said, the words spilling out of his brain as he tried to make a decision.

"Too late for what?" Liara prodded, knowing that he needed to talk this through.

"Too late for…." He paused, thinking, and continued, "For any of us to do anything about whatever it is, too late for _me_ to do anything. I don't like this feeling, Liara. I want her to trust me and tell me what the _hell_ is going on!"

She sat back in her chair and thought about this for a minute.

"Well, to be honest with you I haven't found much…yet. My initial search yielded very little but there was one thing in particular that did come up that I thought you should see." She paused, keying a few strokes on her console. "Based on what happened tonight, I don't think you would be violating her trust by taking a look at this because she's already told you about it."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused but hopeful.

"You said she told you that she blacked out during her trial, right?"

He nodded, getting up and walking toward her console to stand next her.

"I found the vid of it. Actually, I found several vids of it, all different angles. It's her trial. There's no doubt of that. But…"she trailed off, not sure how phrase what she was thinking.

"But?"

She looked up at him, studying his face and trying to determine what he was feeling.

"But…I don't know if this is something you'd want to see," she finished.

He paused, thinking about her words. Did he want to see this? He'd seen a lot in his time, especially with Shepard. He didn't think there was much left in the galaxy that could shock him or that he hadn't already seen. Not only did he have a choice this time, but none of the other things he'd seen before involved someone he cared so deeply about. That was the key: he cared about her – loved her. That alone made the decision for him.

"Play the vid, Liara," he said firmly.

She nodded and hit the key that started it. Together, they watched the video unfold. It was clear from the footage that the video was meant to be for military and archive purposes since the recording only had a time recorder and an Alliance logo in the corner. They watched as the Alliance top brass filed in and took their seats behind a tall and very long table. There were six of them total. Garrus recognized Anderson and Hackett among them, but he wasn't familiar with the others. It was clear that this was a closed trial since only the panel, Sera, and her advocate were present. Considering what the trial was about, it wasn't surprising that it was limited only to the essential people. The whole thing was about as stable as a krogan in a room full of salarians, so it was vital to keep out the media and anyone else that wasn't directly involved.

Slowly, each of the individuals stated their name and rank for the record. Once the formalities were done, an older male leaned forward, scrutinizing the commander, and asked if it was understood what the charges were. Shepard didn't miss a beat and in a clear, strong voice confirmed that she did. He then asked if she understood what the consequences could be for annihilating an entire system. Again, the same powerful voice resounded through the room, her confirmation clear once more. The older male, satisfied with Shepard's answer, nodded to the older female seated at the end of the table, signaling for her to begin.

"Commander Shepard, my name is Admiral Teron," she began. "It's good to see that working for Cerberus..."

"_With_ Cerberus, ma'am," corrected the commander while adjusting her stance. "My work with them was to stop the abductions of people from human colonies, Alliance or otherwise."

The woman's nostrils flared at the correction, her gaze diverting to Anderson who simply ordered, "Just answer the questions, Commander."

Sera nodded and straightened up. "I will answer them to the best of my ability, Admiral. However I would like it to be on the record that my work _with_ Cerberus was for the good of humanity and after my mission against the Collectors I severed all ties with the organization. My actions have _always_ been in the best interest of not only the Alliance but the galactic community as a whole."

"Duly noted," Admiral Teron said drily. "Now, as I was saying. It's good to see that working _with _Cerberus hasn't changed who you are at heart Commander but that does not excuse your actions regarding the Alpha relay or the resulting loss of life. Would you care to walk us through the series of events?"

Sera opened her mouth to speak but she was interrupted by Admiral Hackett.

"If I may, Admiral Teron?" he asked. After receiving a nod from the woman, continued, "I asked Commander Shepard to look into this matter. Kenson had fallen off the grid and due to the secrecy of the mission and its implications, it was virtually impossible to go through normal channels…."

He continued to explain the nature and specifics of the mission that he asked Shepard to do, hoping that the rest of the panel would see the end result was not by choice but by necessity. He was fighting for her. The sound of his voice began to echo in her head, sounding hollow and distant. She felt strange when she woke up that morning but chalked it up to nerves and anxiety over the panel she was going to face. She felt her pulse go from racing to slow and thready and her breathing from normal to fast and shallow. The waves of nausea had come and gone that morning, so she had decided not to eat anything. Now, she wondered if that was a good idea. The hands she clasped behind her back, in her normal Alliance stance, became cold and clammy but she felt warm, as if her body couldn't decide what temperature to keep as a whole. She broke her stance to pull at the collar of her uniform, feeling heat build within her.

Hackett paused in explanation, noticing Sera's fidgeting.

"Are you alright, Commander?" he asked, concerned.

Sera nodded. "Yes, Admiral. My apologies, perhaps if I could have some water?"

She gratefully took the glass from her advocate and drank. The coolness that touched her lips felt like an oasis. She drank it deeply, gulping it down quickly and quietly asked for another as she handed the glass back. Hackett finished his explanation as she downed the second glass.

"Commander, you may proceed."

Handing the glass back to her advocate, she began to describe her initial encounter with Kenson, finding her restrained and about to be interrogated. Summarizing their breakout from the prison, she moved on to her conversation aboard the shuttle for Project Base. In detail, she reiterated the conversation, making sure to leave nothing out about the Reaper artifact Kenson had found and studied and about how she had agreed that Kenson's proposed solution was the only one viable enough to buy the time they desperately needed to prepare.

Sera paused for a moment, clearing her throat and gesturing for another glass of water. Suddenly, her body felt abnormally hot again and she noticed that her pulse was racing, her breathing labored, shallow and fast. The room began to swim slowly in her vision and she blinked it away. Gratefully she took the glass of water and gulped it down in one steady drink.

"Commander," Anderson said, now his turn to be concerned, "are you sure you're alright?"

"I'll be fine, Admiral. I just need a moment," she said, closing her eyes for a moment and concentrating on her breathing. A couple of moments passed before she opened them and took another glass of water that was presented to her. She drank it down just as quickly as the first and seemed to be better. She collected herself again and fell back into the Alliance stance.

Picking up with where she left off, she described the inside of the base, emphasizing the clock that ticking down the Reapers' arrival.

"Admirals, time was of the essence in this situation. Had I not done what I did, we would not be having this trial right now. When I arrived at Project Base, there were only two and a half days left before the Reapers would come through the relay." Her voice was firm, each word punctuating the silence of the room.

She continued her testimony, describing the Reaper artifact that Kenson and her team had found. When she said that the Project team kept the artifact out in the open, a collective gasp could be heard throughout the room, everyone understanding the implication. She confirmed their concern as she described the brief battle between her and Kenson's team that resulted in her capture and sedation, preventing her from notifying the Alliance and executing the final stage of Project's plan.

"When I awoke from the sedation, there was only an hour and a half left before the Repears arrived. I was able to activate the engines and I tried to warn the colonists, but Kenson cut me off. By the time I managed to get to Kenson, she…" Shepard paused, her vision blurring again and her pulse slowing. She closed her eyes, trying to clear her vision and force her body back to normal, at least enough to finish her testimony. She opened her eyes again. Though not blurry any longer, a fuzzy grey blackness tinged the edges.

"She had already started the eezo core meltdown process…." Sera tried to continue, fighting the growing blackness that was threatening to take over.

"Commander?!" Anderson called, standing up from his seat.

The look on his face quickly turned from concern to horror as he watched the Commander crumple into a seemingly lifeless heap in the middle of the trial room floor. Immediately, a mass of people gathered around the fallen woman. Random voices could be heard as they spoke amongst each other, confirming that she was alive but unconscious. Suddenly, the door opened and another female figure walked quickly in, slicing an authoritative path to the Commander. This voice Garrus immediately recognized even if he couldn't see her face. Chakwas bent over the Commander, examining her, quickly assessing vitals. Her head jerked up, her face deeply distressed with concern, scanning the crowd for someone, stopping when she made the connection with Anderson. Whatever exchange they had was unsaid but enough for Anderson to use his omni-tool instead of the room's comm system to call someone. His conversation was low enough not to be picked up by the recording and drowned out by the other alarmed voices in the room. A couple of minutes later, a team of four figures came into the room, guiding a strange looking pod. In a matter of seconds, they carefully lifted the unconscious and very pale looking woman into it. Setting the controls, they guided it out of the room with Chakwas following behind. The crowd paused, watching the pod and its entourage exit and then began to disperse. The video played for a few more seconds and then ended.

Garrus' eyes were wide with disbelief and his mandibles hung loosely away from his mouth. Sera had told him that she had blacked out during the court martial, but it still hadn't prepared him for this. He felt as if the air had been sucked out of him. His heart literally ached and a cold empty feeling overtook his body. He stared blankly at the screen in Liara's quarters, trying to process what he had just seen. Limply, he sank into a chair and said nothing.

"Garrus?" Liara said softly, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder.

He still said nothing and looked up at her, seeing the worry in her eyes. What could he say? The questions were running rampant in his brain, each one begging for an answer. He fought the nearly overwhelming urge to transfer the vid to his omni-tool and go straight to Shepard's cabin demanding answers.

Liara sighed, trying to think of what to say.

"I knew that was going to be difficult for you to watch Garrus….."

He looked at her for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts.

"Thank you, Liara," he said gently, the warmth of his gratitude clear. "It was difficult to watch but I'm glad you showed it to me anyway. I'm not entirely sure what to do now, though."

"Well for now, I think you should get some sleep," she advised. "I think I will, too. It's been a very long day. I will look more into this over the next few days. I know there has to be more out there. Nothing like that happens without leaving a trail somewhere."

"Alright," he sighed heavily, rising out of his chair, "please let me know when you find more."

"I will," she reassured him.

He crossed through the doorway and felt the door slide shut behind him. He smirked to himself and sighed in relief, realizing that he hadn't betrayed Sera's trust after all. Thinking of Sera, he decided to go check on her and headed for the elevator.

A few minutes later, he was entering Shepard's cabin. The only sounds in the room were the hum of the fish tank and her gentle, yet deep and even breathing of her sleep. He paused at the fish tank, watching the creatures wander aimlessly back and forth from one of the tank to the other. He could never understand why she liked watching these creatures that seemed to have no purpose other than to eat and swim. Absently, he hit the button that fed them and watched them instinctively swim toward the food. After a few seconds, he let out a small huff and turned toward the couch. He sat down softly and removed his boots, careful not to make any noise that would wake her. Gathering the few pillows, he placed them strategically at the end that had the best vantage point for keeping an eye on her. He settled against them, half reclining, half sitting, and watched her in the glow of the tank until he gave into to his own contented slumber.


	18. The Morning After

**PERSONAL UPDATE: Thank you for reading my story and following it. It really does mean a lot. I am sorry that I haven't been posting as frequently as I'd like - especially this last Chapter. My father passed away a week ago and my life has been extremely crazy for the last couple of weeks. I am just now getting back into the groove of things and sincerely apologize for keeping you all waiting for the story to continue. **

**You'll be happy to know that Chapter 19 is already off to the Beta and I'm going to try to find some time this weekend to begin Chapter 20. If you'd like see more life updates, you can find me on deviantArt (www deviantart com) under the same pen name. I always post there before posting here. I also Beta for 5 writers there who have amazing stories posted and ongoing. **

**Thanks for reading this! Enjoy! **

CHAPTER 18: THE MORNING AFTER

Sera awoke to the sound of the incessant beeping of her omni-tool.

_Oh god…_

The beeping reverberated inside her head, pulsating out a rhythm of pain. Laying there in the middle of the bed for a moment, she willed it to stop, absently muting the offending noise. A light snuffling sound from the couch caught her attention but she didn't want to move to find its source. She pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes, trying to breathe through the pain in her head. Only when the pain had sufficiently subsided did she dare to open her eyes and click on her omni-tool. A message from her mother blinked at her.

_Rise and shine daughter! See you in an hour! _

Sera groaned in protest as she remembered agreeing to breakfast with her mother and Anderson the night before. That was before her mother ambushed her. Suddenly, the memories from the night before sporadically started to fill her brain.

_GARRUS!_

The thought bolted her upright in bed. She immediately palmed the side of her head, groaning as the pain in her head resurfaced, and drew her knees up toward her chest so she could rest her elbows on them. Her motion set off the auto-light feature she had programmed when she first settled into the cabin. She hissed, hiding her face in the space between her knees and chest. The snuffling noise from the couch became a loud grunt of equal protest at the offending brightness. She shifted her gaze toward the couch but could only make out a vague shape thanks to the glare of the light obliterating her vision.

"Lights off!" she commanded hoarsely.

Immediately, the room plunged into darkness. Sera gave a sigh of relief that was echoed by a familiar flanging one from the couch. Now that the lights were off, she lifted her head gently and looked toward the couch. The soft glow of the fish tank was enough for her to see the outline of the Turian seated on the end of it, directly across from her bed.

"Garrus?" she whispered painfully.

"Yes, Shepard?"

"Why are you here?...Wait…how did _I_ get here?" she asked, looking down at herself and realizing that she didn't remember coming back to the Normandy.

A pause hung in the air, as he thought about the answer to both questions.

"Uhmmm… I brought you back. You didn't seem like you were going to make it on your own, so I got us a transport and took you back. As for why I'm here..." He paused, unsure how she would react. "You asked me to stay," he finished gently, telling her the truth.

Another pause hung in the air as she digested this information, figuring out what to say. It had been so long since anyone, other than her, had been in her quarters. In fact, Garrus was the last and only one that she had ever let share her private space. Having him back in her quarters again, as strained as the relationship was between them, felt good, complete even.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, resting her cheek on her knees.

"You're welcome." The smile in his voice coming through. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," she mumbled, her voice muffled by her body. "I'm going to kill my mother…"

He chuckled, getting up and moving toward the bed. She felt the mattress sink beneath his weight somewhere to the left of her, near the corner.

"Now, why would you want to do that? I think she did us a favor," he hummed.

"You would," Sera grumbled and after a moment she conceded,"…maybe but I'm still going to talk to her."

She shifted her weight slowly, attempting to get out of bed, and slowly swung her legs over the edge. Sitting there for a moment, she waited for the pounding in her head to ease and the floor beneath her to stop swaying. Gently, she put her feet on the floor and pushed herself upright, one wavering hand on the bed trying to keep her steady. He watched her carefully and nearly got up to catch her when she looked as if she was about to fall. He hesitated, not knowing how she would react if he touched her again, clearly remembering her reaction and his own from the night before, even if she didn't.

When she felt steady enough, she slowly shuffled toward the end of the bed, using it as a guide, and turned toward the bathroom. Concentrating on the bathroom, she didn't notice the boots on the floor at the edge of the bed. Garrus hadn't thought to put them away before going to Liara's quarters last night. Still shuffling, her foot stumbled over one of them and she lunged forward with a gasp but suddenly stopped in midair. Garrus had caught her, one arm around her waist and the other firmly holding her arm.

Gently, he brought her upright again, kicking the boots aside and guiding her the rest of the way up the steps to the bathroom doorway. She put her hand over the one that held her waist, feeling the familiar roughness of his plated fingers, and looked at him. Their eyes held each other for what seemed like forever, neither one of them wanting to look away. Her heart warred with her mind, each telling her what to do. Her heart wanted her to kiss him and never let him go while her mind told her that she wasn't ready for this yet.

Garrus was fighting his own internal battle. Her face was inches from his; it would only take less than a second to close the gap and feel her soft, moist human lips on his mouth. Everything about her body, from her scent to the racing pulse he felt in her wrist, thrummed with a raw sensuality that assaulted all of his senses. He firmly pushed away the nearly overwhelming urge to kiss her and briefly wondered if she wanted it too. He couldn't do it, not unless he knew she wanted it as much as he did, and he wasn't about to let anything jeopardize their still precarious relationship. He cleared his throat, breaking the moment, and let out a shaky sigh.

"Are you okay, Shepard?" he breathed.

The coolness of his breath on her face spread goosebumps all over her body and she shivered.

"Yeah," she whispered huskily, "I just need a shower and then I think I'll be fine."

The heat of her breath in such close proximity to him nearly sent him over the edge again and he had to forcibly restrain himself from doing anything stupid.

"Okay," he replied, letting go of her elbow and placing her hand to rest on the door frame. He slowly removed the other from her waist and the warmth of her hand that held it there.

He backed away and turned toward the main door of her cabin. His hand was on the door about to key the unlock code when he heard her call him from the bathroom doorway.

"Garrus?"

"Yes, Shepard?" he answered, his anxiety warping the flange in his voice.

"Uhmmm…could you send Chakwas up here? I don't know that a shower will cut it. I need something to take the edge of this pain if I'm going to make it through today," she asked, the pain clear in her voice.

"Sure," he replied gently.

"Thank you," she said gratefully and closed the bathroom door.

The door slid shut behind him and leaned hard against it with a dull thud, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Had he stayed that close to her any longer, he didn't know what would've happened. The elevator ride down to the crew deck was just long enough for him catch a few deep breaths and force his heart back into an even rhythm.

When the doors slid open, there were only a few people in the mess making the most of the shore leave time they had left. Some of them glanced his way with a raised eyebrow, wondering why he wasn't coming out of the Battery instead. He didn't care; it wasn't any of their business what he was doing, anyway, so he ignored them. He pointed himself toward the Med Bay and entered when the doors opened. He stopped short when he realized that it was Mordin behind one of the exam tables.

"Garrus. What can I do for you?" he clipped out from behind a microscope, without looking up.

"Uhhhh…" He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. "I was looking for Chakwas…"

"Oh. Chakwas in the crew quarters."

"Okay, thank you, Mordin," he said politely and turned to leave.

"Wait, Garrus. If I may?" he said standing up, his bulbous eyes giving the Turian a silent once over.

Garrus hesitated. It had been his experience with the odd Salarian scientist that conversations such these never ended well for him. The Salarian never seemed to know the boundaries of personal questions and inevitably asked something that Garrus preferred _not_ to answer. He was trapped now since he couldn't very well say no. He turned to face Mordin again, a sharp nod of his head indicating his permission.

"First. Would like to personally thank you for tolerating my behavior at Purgatory," he started.

"Don't worry about it, Mordin. It was fine. Although I think you owe a huge apology to Vega," Garrus chuckled.

"Yes. Will take care of that when sufficient time has passed. Don't want to risk bodily injury too soon," Mordin said quickly, talking past the distressing topic and mumbling, "Problematic," under his breath.

"First?" Garrus prodded, anxious to get moving, "Is there something else?"

"Yes. Wanted to ask more important question. What is your current relationship with the Commander?" he asked, looking apprehensive.

"I don't think that's really any of your business Mordin," he snapped, the question hitting a little too close to home.

"On the contrary. It is. Concerned for the Commander's health," Mordin said firmly.

"Well, if you're worried about her health, I can tell you that she needs some pain medication. She has one hell of a hangover this morning. But what does her health have to do with you?"

"Not at liberty to say. Just…..concerned," Mordin reiterated, walking over to the cabinets that contained the usual variety of daily remedies the crew normally asked for. He took out a small hypo-syringe filled with a light lavender colored fluid and handed it to Garrus.

This got Garrus' attention immediately. What was Mordin not telling him?

"Mordin….." he growled, challenging the scientist.

"If you want to know. Ask Shepard," Mordin replied simply and went back to his data, mumbling as he worked.

Garrus grunted in response and exited the Med Bay.

She finished her shower and grabbed a towel. Turning away from the mirror, she began to dry herself off. She went slowly to minimize the spinning in her head but paused at the thin scar that she normally avoided. Her heart clenched at the memory but this time her eyelids didn't prick with hot tears. She wondered at that for a brief moment before moving on to the rest of her body. Finally, using the towel to squeeze the excess water out of her hair, she twisted up the ebony-red, wet strands in it to rest on her head. Grabbing another towel, she wrapped it around her body and stepped out of the bathroom only to come face to face with Garrus.

He'd keyed in his entry code again, entered her cabin, and lurched to a halt. Her clean scent hit him first, making him lightheaded. He turned his head just in time to see her emerge from the bathroom in nothing more than a towel, their eyes locking into one another. Droplets of water from her shower still hung on her flushed cheeks and lips. Her eyes grew wide and her small mouth gaped open in surprise, exposing her little pink tongue.

_Spirits!_

He forgot about the hypo-syringe he was holding and it dropped to the floor with a dull clink and rolled to the edge of the steps. She blinked at the sound, the first to break their stare and looked at the syringe on the floor.

"What is that?"

He cleared his throat roughly. "It's..ahem…the pain killer you asked for." He reached down to pick it up.

"Oh…but didn't I ask you send Chakwas?" she asked confused.

"Uhhhh..yeah, you did," he said, looking away and staring at the syringe in his hand, "but Mordin was in the Med Bay instead of Chakwas. I told him you were in pain and he gave me this to give you."

He held out the syringe and she took it from him. She studied its contents briefly and with one fluid, well-practiced motion, reached across her body and injected the liquid into her upper arm. Her face not registering any reaction to the injection, she handed the now empty syringe back to Garrus.

"Did you need something else, Garrus?" she asked stiffly, torn by the need for him to leave and the want for him to stay.

_Yes, a little stress relief would be really great right now…_ he thought silently.

"No….no, I…uhmmm…have to go meet my sister," he stumbled through the words, trying to suppress the growl that threatened to escape. "I need to go," he finished in a rush and in a second he was out the door.

The moment the door shut, separating the two of them, they lingered on each side of the door. Sera walked towards it and put a hand on it, leaning forward, resting her forehead on the cool metal, and wishing that he stayed. Garrus turned around and stared at the now closed door. Absently, he put a hand on it and leaned forward, resting his forehead on the cool metal in nearly the same spot opposite Sera, wondering if he should have stayed instead.

They both turned and walked away; each knowing that as much they wanted the other, now wasn't the time.


	19. Breakfast

**A/N:** This chapter's rather long by my general standards so I hope that makes up for the long wait. I've subscribed to theory presented by a fellow writer (Greenmamba5) that turians have a subharmonic range used for a secondary communication which is denoted in _italics_ in their conversation.

CHAPTER 19: BREAKFAST

Garrus let out a low growl of frustration as his hand slid down and away from the door. He turned to call the elevator and as the doors slid open he mentally went over what he planned for the day: breakfast with Solana, talk to Chakwas and maybe, if he was lucky, he could nail a few minutes with Anderson. He stepped off the elevator and turned toward the direction of the Crew's Quarters. He had a few minutes before he had to get ready to meet Solana and, knowing her, she would probably be late anyway. The doors slid open and his Turian nose immediately picked up the scent of booze, sweat and the stench of vomit. Apparently, the rest of the crew had continued the party after coming back from Purgatory. The hour was still early enough that most of them were taking advantage of the later-than-usual report time, sprawled out amongst the bunks and floor. Scanning the room for the doctor, he picked her out amongst the mess of humans in the room. She was examining one of the crewmen who was half hanging off a bunk.

"Doctor?"

Recognizing the familiar flange, she didn't look up as she reviewed the final scan of her patient on her omni-tool.

"Garrus," she replied evenly, absently nodding at the information the scan provided and closing the omni-tool.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked her hesitantly.

She rose, gathering her instruments and turning to face him.

"When will they learn?" she tsk'd in annoyance. "Yes, Garrus I have a few minutes. This lot won't be up for a while. Thankfully, none of them did anything stupid last night. They're going to all have a hell of a hangover though," she finished, shaking her head.

He looked around the room, scanning the snoring, grunting bunch, satisfied that none of them would ever repeat this conversation. He studied the doctor, trying to decide where to begin.

"Shepard told me what happened to her during her trial," he said bluntly, watching her face carefully for any reaction.

She blinked and crossed her arms.

"I see," she said simply, her face unreadable even by human standards.

The expertise of her profession had perfected her ability to mask her thoughts. He waited to see if she would say anything further, a frustrated growl building within him when he realized that she was waiting for him to continue. This conversation wasn't going to be an easy one.

"What happened to her?"

"Why would you think that I know what happened to her?" she shot back.

"Because you're human and Alliance. You've also known Shepard longer than any of us," he returned, thinking quickly.

Chakwas mulled that answer over for a second.

"Okay, but why not ask her? Why ask me?" She paused. "Unless….you don't want to her to know that you're asking," she concluded, locking eyes with him.

It was his turn to blink and cross his arms. Luckily for him, turian facial structure didn't leave much room for nuanced emotion. After serving with humans for so long, he had learned quickly that what someone said was not always necessarily what they were thinking. Turians' equivalent to this was in their subvocal range, which was as common as speaking among their species but generally outside of the human hearing range. He used this to his advantage now, unwilling to give the Doctor any more information than necessary.

Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything more, she stared blankly at him, her mind chewing on a variety of answers to give him. Finally, she decided on the most diplomatic and benign approach.

"Alright," she said smoothly, "what exactly did she tell you and when was this?"

"Over drinks…last night….at Ted's," he replied, streamlining the explanation. "She said that she never completed her court martial because she blacked out in the middle of it."

"Is that all she said?"

"Yes," he admitted with a low growl, his frustration becoming apparent. He was still reluctant to tell her about the vid he'd seen. The last thing he wanted was for Shepard to find out he was doing his own research.

"Garrus, Alliance regulations prevent me from discussing anything related to the Commander's health with anyone unless they are also medically responsible for her as well. Since you are not, I'm sorry I cannot answer your questions," she said firmly, but the look in her eyes said something else entirely.

He said nothing, studying her face, trying to decipher what she was trying to tell him.

"I understand, Doctor. I'll let you get back to the crew," he said, conceding and turning toward the door.

He paused as the doors slid shut behind him, turning over the words she said over in his mind. She was trying to tell him something, he knew that for sure – but what? Slowly, he began to make his way to the Main Battery. As he rounded the corner of the Mess, he noticed that the conversation level of the few crew members seated at the tables had fallen into low murmurs and whispers. They all had heard the rumors about Shepard and Vakarian but none of them really paid that much attention until now. Not only had the turian not come from his usual Battery but he was also dressed in civilian clothing, an extreme rarity for Garrus, who preferred his armor above anything else. The situation looked very suspicious, especially given the early hour. His thinking slowed his pace when he noticed a movement from the Med Bay window out of the corner of his eye. He looked over confused for second since he had just talked to Chakwas in the Crew quarters but quickly realized that it was Mordin moving around in the lab.

As he watched the salarian work, he stopped, staring at the scientist. The turning pieces of information that preoccupied his walk gently clicked into place as realization dawned and his eyes grew wide.

_Mordin._

* * *

Sera sighed softly, slowly pulling her hand away from the door, knowing that he wasn't coming back. She carefully walked down the steps toward the drawers that held her clothes and chose an appropriate outfit to wear. Given what the plans were for the day, she decided that her Alliance uniform was the best choice. She saw the time on the clock next to her bed and panicked, realizing that she needed to get moving or she was going to be very late and her mother would voice her disapproval. Approving her reflection in the mirror, she decided to put her hair up in a loose bun, leaving a few strands down to frame her face. A touch of make-up accentuated her sapphire blue eyes but the natural flush of her cheeks and lips were enough on their own.

As she rode the elevator the CIC, she clicked open her omni-tool, pulling up the information Traynor had sent about the florist. Searching for the right arrangement, she quickly thumbed through the images finally settling on small bouquet of calla lilies. They were rather expensive since Earth flowers were rather hard to come by but, for her father, the cost was unimportant. She placed the order as the elevators slid open and the chatter from the random crew members enjoying their final hours of shore leave greeted her. She smiled at them making her way to the airlock, absently noticing that Joker was not in the cockpit.

"EDI?"

[Yes, Commander?]

"Where's Joker?"

[Joker is 'sleeping it off.']

Shepard came to an abrupt halt.

"What?!"

[Joker became quite inebriated last night, Commander. I had to carry him back to the ship.]

Shepard held back a laugh and raised an eyebrow at EDI's explanation, waiting for her to continue.

[By the time we arrived, he had sufficiently expelled the alcohol from his system and has been sleeping ever since.]

"Are you okay, EDI?"

[Yes, Shepard, I am functional. I have cleaned the vomit from my mobile platform and it is currently being sterilized.]

Unable to hold back any longer, she barked out a laugh and chuckled as she imagined the sight of Joker throwing up on EDI as she carried him back to the Normandy. It must've been one hell of a party she missed out on.

[Commander?]

"Yes, EDI?" Sera replied through her laughter.

[What is so funny?]

"Nothing, EDI. Just remind me to tell you about it some other time. I'm kind of in a hurry at the moment," Shepard explained, collecting herself and doubling her pace to the airlock.

[Noted, Commander. Do you require anything else?]

"Uhmmm… no, not right now. Just make sure that everyone reports in and notify me if anyone's missing."

[Yes, Commander.]

After catching a transport, Shepard walked through the doors of the Phoenix restaurant once more. It certainly wasn't as she remembered it from the night before. The dark intimate ambiance was now replaced with an open, glowing airiness that still maintained the elegance that it exuded during its night cycle. The wait staff was now dressed in stark white, fashion forward uniforms and the early morning, urgent chatter of diplomats, politicians and high ranking military personnel filled the air. Sera quickly scanned the sea of tables, looking for her mother and Anderson. Spotting them near the back of the restaurant, she made her way toward the table, sitting with a small huff.

"Nice of you to join us," her mother greeted her drily.

Sera eyeballed her mother, biting her tongue as a turian waitress approached the table. She ordered a cup of coffee and then contemplated the plethora of offerings on the menu in silence. It was quite extensive, given all the races that occupied the Citadel, and there was a section for each one. After reviewing the menu and making her choice, she put the menu aside and sat back in her chair. She stared at her mother, absently chewing on a nail, trying to decide how to confront her about the events of last night.

"What, did I grow a third eye or something?" Hannah baited her daughter with a smirk.

Sera's brow furrowed and her eyes lit up with a fierce indignant blue flame.

"No, I just want to know what you thought you were doing last night," she said bluntly, confronting her mother.

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything that shouldn't have been done," Hannah shot back, meeting her daughter head-on.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sera challenged, not ready to back down.

"Really, Sera, do I need to draw you a map? It's so simple. The feelings you have for each other are more than obvious. All you needed was a push in the right direction."

"Push? More like a shove..." Sera retorted.

Hannah shrugged her shoulders while Anderson chuckled at the unfolding exchange between mother and daughter.

"Push…shove…six of one and half a dozen of another. Someone had to do it and it certainly wasn't going to be you!"

Sera glared at her mother and huffed crossing her arms over her chest, silently admitting defeat.

The turian waitress appeared again with the coffee Sera ordered and took her breakfast order. Once she left the table, Hannah took the opportunity to speak first.

"So, what happened last night?" she asked with a hopeful yet mischievous glint in her eye.

"Not what you're thinking," Sera snorted and then sighed, knowing that her mother wasn't going to let up until she got a satisfactory answer.

"Damn," Hannah swore as Anderson barked out a laugh.

That got Sera to smile and she told them about the brief conversation she and Garrus had which led to a truce of sorts between them. Then she told them about the games of the pool and the two new holes in the Ted's wall. Hannah and Anderson promptly burst out laughing, causing a few of the patrons to turn heads and stare at the loud outburst.

"Oh yes, he's never going to live that down," Sera promised with an impish grin.

Once their chuckling had subsided, Anderson cleared his throat and took a sip of his coffee.

"Now that things have settled between you, are you going to tell him?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," Sera said simply, "he knows that I need a little more time and he's willing to wait. Not only do I want to wait for the right time, I want to pull the data from the facility and read it myself."

"Are you sure you want to do that, Sera? I don't know if that's such a good idea," Hannah replied, looking at her daughter, worry and concern etched into her face.

"Why not? They're my records and I want to know all the details. The Dalatrass already blindsided me once. I'm sure as hell not letting ithat/i happen again," Sera said fiercely.

"_That's_ my girl," Hannah said proudly.

* * *

Talking to Mordin was going to have to wait since he had spent whatever spare time he had talking to Chakwas.

_Damn._

He turned and headed for the Battery for a quick change of clothes before heading out to meet Solana. After changing, he paused at the console and did a quick check of the calibrations he ran on a nightly cycle. Satisfied with the results, he called up his private messaging account. A quick search found the messages he had sent to Shepard all those months ago. He couldn't bring himself to permanently delete them then and now he was happy that he didn't.

There were only three messages, but the lack of response between each one had discouraged him from writing any more. He had had no idea what would happen to Sera when it came time for her to turn herself into the Alliance. As a turian, he more than understood the concepts of honor and justice, but knowing what she done for the galaxy, the consequences she faced went against the very grain of his turian spirit. He couldn't be sure if she wasn't responding because she didn't want to or because she had no choice. Now that he knew that it was latter rather than the former, he sent them to her again with a renewed yet reserved hope for their relationship, however it might turn out. In a few quick strokes they were gone and he left the Battery before he could reconsider anything.

A little while later, Garrus walked through the doors of the Phoenix restaurant and scanned the tables for his sister. Much to his chagrin, she was nowhere to be found. He knew that she was going to be late and didn't know why he bothered to try to be on time. He selected a table near the entrance and off to the side and settled himself into a chair. A young, pretty turian waitress approached the table with a menu.

"Good morning, sir," she purred, "would you like something to drink?"

He blinked; was she hitting on him? He couldn't be sure; it had been so long since he'd paid attention to any turian female.

"Uhmmmm… yes," he said roughly, "coffee, please."

"Of course," she replied, her tongue elongating the last syllable and her undertones trilling something he hadn't heard in a very long time.

_Was that? Did she just….? Yes, she did, you idiot! That female just came on to you! Moron!_

He sat back in his chair and watched her saunter away from the table. He cocked his head slightly to the left, giving her retreating form a once over, his gaze lingering on her waist. Suddenly, his view was obstructed by vibrant purple hue. He blinked and focused as he raised his eyes to meet a familiar ice blue pair.

"Brother," she said simply, her undertones trilling her disgust at his open gawking. _Horny._

"Sol," he replied, "late as usual. Did you get your morning lay?"

"Yes, yes, I did," she said smugly, making herself comfortable in the opposite chair.

"How is Chellick these days?" Garrus hummed.

"Overwhelmed, stressed out trying to figure out what to do with all the incoming refugees," she said, her undertones laced with worry.

"Must've been a long night for you two then," he chided, _I win._

"It was. We barely slept at all," she gloated, _Fuck off._ "At least I don't have to resort to leering because I can't remember the last time I got laid."

That one hurt and she saw it when his mandibles tightened against his jaw. She had crossed that invisible line. The unspoken one that said she had gone too far. She looked down at the table.

"Sorry," she said softly, her undertones reinforcing her apology.

He clicked his acceptance of her apology with a slight nod.

"Contrary to your belief, Sol, I do remember the last time and there's a reason why it's been that long," he began, finally telling his sister the whole truth. There was no sense in keeping it from her now. He knew that he had a made a promise to Shepard, but since she had told Liara, he didn't see the harm in telling his sister. Considering the chaos the galaxy was in, he didn't know when he would see her again anyway. "Do you remember when I came to visit you and Mom at Helos and told you about the Suicide Mission with Shepard?"

She nodded, recalling his surprise visit and how happy they were that he was alive. She also remembered their shock at his face. Looking at it now, she briefly wondered why he had never fixed the scars or his clan mark.

"Well," he paused, "there was something else that I didn't tell you."

Now she looked at him, her eyes glittering with curiosity. The turian waitress suddenly appeared between them, setting his requested cup of coffee on table. Sol asked her for the same and ordered something akin to an omelet with a heavily spiced meat filling. Garrus ordered the same but with a side of dough-like bread and a gel-like syrup. The waitress gave a curt nod at Solana and flared her mandibles suggestively at Garrus before leaving their table.

Sol clicked her disgust again, _Whore._

Garrus chuckled, "A female hits on me and you think she's a whore. Am I that bad?"

"No, you're not. She doesn't have to throw herself at you though," she said. _Some class would be nice._ "Anyway, you were saying?"

He nodded, accepting what she said and cleared his throat before continuing the conversation.

"Shepard and I were uhmmm…" He struggled to think of what to call their current relationship. "…together," he finished weakly.

"Together?" she blinked.

_Mated,_ he huffed. He should've known better than to use a human term.

"What?!" she squeaked in surprise. Sol knew her brother but apparently not as well as she thought.

He simply nodded, confirming what he said and its implications. He braced himself for the coming onslaught of questions.

Sol was silent for a few minutes as what he said sank in and the implications began to unfold. There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask – what did it feel like, was it everything that others said, were human females the same as turian females, was this a phase, did he have a fetish now? She sat back in her chair and looked at her brother, suddenly seeing him in a new light. For as long as she could remember, he was just her brother. He cared for, protected, defended, harassed, pranked, fought with, picked on and most of all loved her. Now, they were adults with their own lives, rarely talking anymore except via messages or omni-tool calls. Had things changed so much? When did they grow up? Her mandibles slowly flared into a turian grin as she realized that those questions didn't matter.

Garrus quirked a brow plate at her silence. He picked up the hum in her subvocals as she mulled over what he just said and, though nearly imperceptible, the tiny movements in her features. He was fully prepared to answer her questions to a point. However, her silence mildly surprised him, so he slowly drank his coffee and waited.

"I'm happy for you," she said simply.

"Wait," he coughed on his coffee, "what?"

"I'm happy for you," she repeated, "are you still 'together'?" she asked, trying to use the human term correctly.

"Where are the questions? I know you; the questions should be pouring out of you like data-starved salarian. I mean I appreciate that you're happy for me, although that might be a little premature right now but come on, we both know you better than that, Sol…"

"You're right," she conceded, "I do have questions but I just realized that none of them matter. What do you mean 'premature'?"

"Things are … complicated at the moment," he vaguely explained, "but hopefully not for much longer. She's nothing like any other female I've ever known, Sol."

"Well, I hope it works out for you both. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more," she said sincerely. "I do have one question though. What about the chirality? Isn't that dangerous or are you both non-allergic?"

"Well," he started, "I was tested when I became part of the Normandy crew under Cerberus. Chakwas, the ship's doctor, insisted that everyone have a full medical work-up. She wanted no surprises. My allergy levels tested extremely low so that it wasn't concern for me. When things became serious between Shepard and me, Mordin tested Shepard. She never told me the results but I have to think that they weren't a concern considering what happened."

"Mordin?"

"Mordin Solus. He's a salarian scientist that we picked up on Omega. He was running a clinic and working a cure for a local plague," Garrus explained, giving her a quick bio.

"Did he work for STG?" she asked, recognizing the name.

"Yeah," he said slowly, "how did you know that?"

"He said that he recognized our family name and introduced himself. He said that I should be extremely grateful to have such a brother," she said, puzzled. "What did he mean, Garrus?"

"Uhmmm." Garrus cleared his throat. "Well, I may have sent them some Collector tissue samples they needed for their research from that suicide mission."

Solana's eyes grew wide and her mandibles hung slack from her jaws in surprise.

"You did what!?" she yelped, _Idiot! Mom will kill you!_

"You better not tell her!" he snarled. "She doesn't need any more stress."

Solana knew he was right and said nothing more for a minute until she remembered.

"Garrus, I gave you so much crap about leaving me alone to take care of Mom. I wasn't alone, was I?" she said softly.

"Don't worry about it, Sol," he grunted. "I deserved some of that anyway. It's in the past, leave it there. So, where did you meet Mordin?" he asked, moving the conversation along.

"A couple months after you left for Palaven, Mom was improving at Helos and he recommended another medical research facility that was more specialized that could better maintain her treatments while conducting research. So, when she was stable enough to move, we transferred her there."

"Why didn't you tell me this before now?" he accused. _How could you?_

The turian waitress appeared once more setting their respective orders on the table. The siblings fell into an uncomfortable silence as the waitress placed everything before them and refilled their cups.

"Is there anything else you'd like?" she asked both of them, but only looking at Garrus.

"No thanks," hissed Sol. _Back off!_

The startled waitress nearly dropped her tray and stared at Solana, who only glared back. She shrank away from the table, leaving the two siblings alone once more. Solana could feel her brother's glare burning into her and composed herself to continue the conversation.

"Garrus, I'm sorry," she apologized, "things moved quickly and you were trying to get the Hierarchy to listen to you about the Reapers. I thought maybe Dad might have told you."

"Well, he didn't," Garrus growled, frustrated that his own family couldn't communicate with him. "So, what is the new facility that she's at now?"

"Actually it's on old Salarian Research Complex. They opened its use to all of the Council races. It's now an inter-galactic medical research headquarters of sorts. All of the top medical minds from across the galaxy collaborate their work for the benefit of each other. It's called Chimera."

"I see. Is it helping? How is mom doing?"

"She's doing quite well, all things considered. Moving her there was the best decision. They've been able to stall the degradation and she's much happier. They don't know if it's permanent or temporary but either way it gives them time to do more research," she paused for a moment. "Dad really didn't tell you anything?"

"No," he grumbled, "he didn't. Probably because we were too busy trying to the get the Hierarchy to pay attention. After he finally got the Primarch to listen, it still took a good amount of persuading and negotiating to get what resources he would give us, and even that wasn't enough." _Idiots_

They descended into a brooding silence as they finished their breakfast. Both worried about the war, knowing whatever the outcome, the galaxy would never be the same. Solana was proud that her brother was part of Shepard's crew, playing such a pivotal role in the survival of the galaxy. She silently prayed to the Spirits that they would all live to see the end of it. Garrus watched the worry gather in his sister's eyes and decided to change the subject.

"So now that Mom is well taken care of, what are you going to do?" he asked in between bites.

Solana quirked a brow at her brother, noting that he was trying to divert her attention, still trying to take care of her.

"Well, I finalized the paperwork already for Chimera. I was thinking that I would help with the research, since I already have medical training, and keep an eye on Mom, but after talking to Chell, I'm not so sure about that now…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"What did Chellick say?"

"There are so many injured soldiers and civilians flooding into the Citadel and the hospital is beginning to overflow with patients. I think it would be better if I stayed here to help where I can."

Garrus thought about her suggestion for a minute as he finished his coffee. He couldn't find anything wrong with what she was proposing. The Citadel itself was pretty removed from where the real fighting was taking place and he was relieved that she hadn't thought about going back to Palaven. Chellick would definitely protect her and keep her safe. Their mother was in good hands and, if something went wrong, Solana would have a multitude of ways to get to her as quickly as possible if needed.

"I think that's a very good idea," he nodded, "when are you going to start?"

"As soon as I get the things Mom needs…" Sol began.

Garrus didn't hear the rest of what she said, his focus shifting to a familiar trio of Alliance uniforms exiting the restaurant behind her. How could he have not seen them when he entered? Solana noticed her brother's attention shift and followed his line of sight.

"Isn't that…" she started.

"Shepard," he finished.


	20. Crossroads

CHAPTER 20

Garrus and Solana watched as the trio exited the restaurant and paused just beyond the entry to exchange a few words. Once they had finished talking, Sera walked toward the shops while her mother and Anderson headed toward the Embassies. This was Garrus' chance to have a conversation with Anderson and he wasn't going to let it go to waste. Solana knew the look on her brother's face too well: his eyes pinpointed in thought, mandibles tight against his jaw and his subvocals humming the thoughts in his head. She sighed and sat back in her chair. The look in his eyes said it all and she simply nodded as he got up from the table, his intent clear. The questions she had would have to wait, but she fully intended on interrogating him the first chance she got.

"I'm sorry, Solana, but I really have to go," he apologized.

"I know," she said simply. _You owe me_.

He nodded, _Thank you_ and started to walk away. He paused a couple feet from the table and turned around.

"Keep me updated on mom," he said. _Promise me_.

"I will," she replied gently _I promise_.

With that, he turned and left the restaurant, heading for the Earth Embassy. He hoped getting the answers he needed would be easier with Anderson than it was with Chakwas.

Picking up the flowers took longer than Sera anticipated since the shop was tucked away at the far end of the Presidium. The arrangement itself was simple yet elegant and not too large to be carried via transport back to the Embassy level. She lightly tapped up the stairs that led to the various embassies, just reaching the landing to see Anderson and Hannah emerging from the office, followed by a tall and very familiar looking Turian. Sera stopped in her tracks and stared. iWhat/i was he doing here? Her thoughts raced in a million different directions, none of them ending anywhere good. The idea of Garrus talking to Anderson and her mother was fraught with all kinds of problems. Problems that she didn't want to think about right now.

Reining in her irritation before it got the better of her emotions; she strode down the hall toward the trio, her purpose clear.

Hannah spotted her daughter coming down the hall over Garrus' shoulder.

"Sera!" she said cutting off whatever Garrus was in the middle of saying. "Look who we ran into!" she finished, nudging Garrus to turn around.

She came to a stop in front of her mother, staring hard at Garrus. This "chance" meeting wasn't going unnoticed and he could count on a discussion about it later. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He didn't need to look at her to know that her pulse raced with hot anger and he thanked the Spirits that he had made it out into the hallway. Had she found him in the Earth Embassy office a few seconds earlier, the consequences would be far more severe than what they were now.

"Garrus," Sera greeted him, her voice lightly laced with sarcasm, "to what do we owe this pleasure?"

"We were on our way to Anderson's office and happened to run into Garrus coming out of the Turian Council office," Hannah offered, unaware that Sera had seen them come out of the Earth Embassy.

Sera knew the tone in her mother's voice well. It was the same one she heard time and again aboard the ships they were stationed on during her childhood. The very same one Hannah used to resolve conflicts among the crew and divert their attention to more important tasks. It was also the one that Sera used when Jack and Miranda were on the verge of a biotic blowout.

"Is that so?" Sera said, her eyes narrowing but never leaving Garrus.

He silently thanked the Spirits that she couldn't hear the nervous waver that interlaced his subharmonics. He was extremely grateful for Hannah stepping in quickly, saving them all from a direct confrontation given the appearance of the situation. However, he knew it wouldn't be long before Sera figured it out and put the pieces together if she hadn't already. He would deal with that when the time came.

"Yes, I was just talking with the Councilor about the latest reports from Palaven and other things…" he trailed off.

Sera blinked, instantly realizing he was referring to his family. Her eyes clouded over with worry and concern.

"How are…..things?" she asked, studying his face.

"Well, they are…." he began.

"Wait," Anderson interjected, "Garrus, would like to join us? We were just about to go visit Captain Shepard's memorial. You can tell us about it on the way."

Garrus blinked at the unexpected invitation and then looked to Sera for some indication of how he should respond. He had never met Captain Shepard when he was alive. He wanted to accept but didn't know what the protocol was, especially given the circumstances between them now.

Sera considered it quickly and found that she didn't mind the thought of Garrus coming along. It hadn't occurred to her to invite him this morning but now somehow it seemed fitting, as if coincidence had brought them all here at the same time. Time, she was quickly becoming aware, was a precious commodity of which there was very little. She let the warmth of the thought light her eyes and slightly nodded her permission at Garrus.

"Yes," Garrus said to Anderson, "I would be honored to join you."

He offered his arm to Sera, as had seen in the countless human vids he watched while researching human customs. Sera smiled in surprise and took it. She gave his forearm a light squeeze, letting him know that the gesture was not lost on her. Side by side, the two couples walked down the hallway, toward the stairs.

"You were saying?" prodded Sera, wanting him to finish what he started to say earlier.

"Things are quickly going from bad to worse of Palaven," he began heavily. "The Councilor says that the Reaper Task Force I started with my father is barely holding… but holding. Last he heard my father was still there coordinating the effort. My sister, Sol, was there for a while helping but needed to leave to take care of our mother. She's here on the Citadel now. I just met her for breakfast a little while ago. Sol's pretty confident in this new facility she found to treat our mother's condition. She's decided to extend her stay here and do what she can to help the refugees and the injured."

They descended the stairs and crossed the pavilion toward the elevator. Once the elevator doors slid shut, Anderson selected the Presidium level. During the short ride, Sera thought about what Garrus said about his home world and wondered about Earth. She looked at Anderson and it appeared as if he was thinking the same thing because, even though he gave her a tight reassuring smile, he couldn't hide the grimness in his eyes. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the open air scented with the sweet smell of the flora that attempted to provide the otherwise sterile level a more welcoming aura.

"Your sister? I would like to meet her," Hannah said filling in the silence among them.

Sera shot her mother a warning glare, knowing where this was going. If it were within their range, the humans would have heard Garrus' subharmonics trill in surprise. He had not seen that coming, although the intent was obvious; he knew there had to be more behind the request.

"I can arrange something for later, if that's okay, Commander?" he said, looking at Sera.

That he addressed her by her rank rather than her name did not go unnoticed. He was making sure that she knew that not only was he deferring to her as his commanding officer but that if this was something she didn't want to happen, she would technically have the right to refuse without explanation. She gave his arm a squeeze again, letting him know that she didn't miss his queue.

"I don't see anything wrong with that. I'd like to meet her as well. After this, I need to go pay a visit to the refugee camp, anyway. There are a couple things I need to take care of."

As they talked, they went through a series of walkways, stairs and turns finally emerging into a quieter section of the Presidium. There were less people here but those that were, were Alliance. This was a special section set aside by the Earth Embassy to honor those that gave their lives in service to the Alliance. The area was beautiful and peaceful, covered in lush greenery and a large variety of flowering plants. Some of which Sera recognized, like roses, daisies, lilies, lavender and orchids but others, though fascinating in their beauty, she knew couldn't have been from Earth. The aromas that filled the air blended in a wondrous melody of rich yet light and fully textured serenity. The small ponds and waterfalls that were spread throughout the area were surrounded by an assortment of chairs and benches.

Garrus let go of Sera's arm and allowed her and the other two to walk ahead of him. He had never been here before and was astounded by what he saw, smelled, and heard. His acute senses picked up everything in the near stillness. The scents of the flora were exquisite and enticing, clearly chosen for the ambiance they gave both by sight and by smell. The quietude of such a place amongst such endless activity astounded him. The sounds of the waterfalls in the small ponds were almost irresistible in their invitation to captivate a visitor to pause and watch, losing themselves in the ripples and gentle lapping. He recalled similar places on Palaven, near his home, and felt a pang of sadness knowing that they wouldn't be there when this damn war was over. Following the trio of humans as they made their way through the garden, he came to a stop behind them in front a solitary tree tucked away in a small corner not far from a pond covered in white flowers that sat upon floating green discs.

Sera stood in front the tree: her father's tree. She hadn't been here since the day they planted it, though not for lack of opportunity. It was just too hard, too painful and too hard—so many memories wrapped up in this one spot. She examined the sapling, running her fingers along its clean, smooth white bark, taking in the vibrant emerald-turning-gold, heart shaped leaves. Her dad would've loved this tree: clean, simple and strong yet tender and lithe. She set the arrangement of calla lilies down at the base and activated the holo before standing.

_Hi, Dad… I miss you._

Immediately, a tall, well-built human male appeared, dressed sharply in Alliance dress blues and standing at attention. Even though there was no vocal audio, nor did the figure make a motion to speak, one could hear the faint melody of music come from it. The same instrumental music Garrus heard Sera play last night in the bar. He had no idea what the melody it played was called but he knew he heard somewhere else before. He just couldn't remember where or when. Unsure of what the proper human protocol was for a situation like this, he stood in silent observance listening to the music, watching mother, daughter and friend. He took a moment to study the hologram figure closely, since he had never met the Captain in life. Being able to see mother, father and daughter of the infamous Shepard family was a rare and unique opportunity. Sera was the perfect blend of her parents, inheriting her mother's raven colored hair and pale yet lightly freckled and rosy complexion paired with her father's deep, warm blue eyes and full red lips.

After a few minutes, Sera turned away from the hologram and made her way over to the small pond. She stood there staring at her reflection in the water, lost among the memories and the mission that loomed ahead. A gentle yet hesitant hand palmed her shoulder and, before turning, she already knew the presence behind her. She brought her hand to overlay his as she turned and felt the light taloned touch of his other hand slip under her chin as he tilted her face up. Sapphire and ice met, each reading the other. He thumbed a solitary tear from her soft cheek, reading the worry and stress in her eyes along with the sadness in her heart. She leaned into the palm of his hand seeking the caring warmth and understanding his eyes spoke of and closed her eyes.

After a few seconds, she blinked them open and flicked a glance to where her mother and Anderson should have been standing. They were gone. She looked at Garrus in confusion.

"They just left a minute or so ago," he hummed gently.

She sighed heavily and nodded. Giving the tree one last look, she committed it to memory, not knowing if it would still be there when this wretched war was over. He watched her and then offered his arm again which she took and together they walked away.

After making their way back through the garden, they met Hannah and Anderson at the entrance, following them back through the maze of turns, walkways and stairs to the elevator. As the doors slid shut, Anderson selected the Embassy level. Before getting out of the elevator, Anderson hugged both Sera and Hannah good-bye.

"I'll be in touch with both of you soon," he promised as he stepped out.

The doors slid shut once more and Hannah selected the Holding Docks. After a few moments the doors slid open once more and the jarring dissonance of the level spilled into the small elevator. The trio stepped out and into the organized chaos of the Holding Docks. It was nearly overflowing with so many people of different species in long lines, milling about aimlessly lost, looking for loved ones and mourning those gone at the makeshift memorial wall. C-Sec officers and Citadel workers were desperately trying to maintain what little order there was, allocating space for incoming refugees, figuring out what to do with those who still had nowhere to go, sourcing supplies and distributing them, breaking up fights over food, water and medical supplies, and trying to connect those with lost loved ones.

"I'm going to check in with C-Sec and see how things are going," Hannah said, turning away and heading to the C-Sec station in the middle of the main thoroughfare.

Adjusting the filter settings on his omni-tool to mute out some of the overloading input, Garrus scanned the immediate vicinity for his sister.

"I'm going to check on our troops and look for my sister," he rumbled.

"Okay, I need to look for someone and then I'll catch up with you," Sera replied, walking away from him.

After walking up and down the main thoroughfare and making note of the various Bays set up to take care of the needs of the incoming refugees, she found Tactus closely guarding a storage container filled with various medical supplies. As she approached, she could see the turian give her a once-over, recognition clicking in his eyes followed by apparent confusion. Sera returned his scrutiny with an unflinching steely gaze. Even though his vibrant lavender clan markings had an elegant flourish, she could tell negotiating with him wasn't going to be easy. She was right. An hour and several negotiating tactics later, Tactus Valens definitely proved to be a hard ass but they each got what they wanted plus a little extra.

After making the necessary arrangements to have the medical supplies picked up, Sera headed out to find Garrus. She could have radioed him but she became engulfed in the frenzied activity and trying to help those she could. It wasn't long before she found him in one of the triage bays set up specifically for Turians. The chaotic din made it difficult to make out what he was saying to the turian female in front of him.

Sera hung back at the entrance of the bay so she could observe them for a moment. The female was smaller in stature in comparison to Garrus. Sera wondered if that had to do with genetics like humans or if it was simple Turian biology. Her plate coloring was nearly an exact duplicate to Garrus' but the definitions of the mandibles and plate edges had a softer shape. Her head lacked the long and elegantly defined fringe of her brother but retained a definite feminine shape. Her clan markings were the same color and general shape as Garrus' but with a slightly more feminine touch: simple small flourishes at the end of each stroke.

Whatever it was they were discussing put a very grim look on Garrus' face. Walking up behind him, Sera cleared her throat enough for him to hear. He turned to face her, giving the females a full look at one another. They studied each other quickly, assessing each other's appearance.

"Commander Shepard, this is my sister Solana," Garrus rumbled, his tone formal but stressed.

"Commander," Solana said smoothly, her voice a much gentler version of her brother's.

She held out her hand in greeting, obviously familiar with human customs. Sera took it and grasped it firmly.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Vakarian," Sera replied warmly.

"Ms –," Solana chirped in mild surprise, "No! Please, just Solana will be fine."

"Okay, Solana it is," she nodded and looked around at the small confined space when she heard the unmistakable staccato of her mother's footsteps approaching and sighed inwardly.

"What's C-Sec's situation, Mom?" Sera asked, seeing the deep concern etched on her mother's face.

"Not good," Hannah clipped. "They are beyond overwhelmed with the influx of refugees. The Council has its work cut out for them. We need to move faster to end this fucking war," she ground out in frustration.

"Agreed," Solana said solemnly. "Palaven's wounded are starting to trickle in and if their injuries are an indication of what's coming…"

"Admiral," Garrus interjected, introducing his sister, "this is my sister Solana."

"It's an honor to meet you, Admiral," Solana said extending her hand once more.

Hannah shook it firmly, nodding. "Unfortunately, from the reports that I'm getting, this is about to get a lot worse before it gets better," she said, referring to Solana's earlier comment.

"I know," Solana sighed. "Supplies are short and we're quickly running out of room. We just can't accommodate them all…" she trailed off, Garrus picking up on her anxious whine.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to comfort her but the both knew there was little to be found in it. He nuzzled her forehead with a consoling purr that she returned. A moment passed and Hannah cleared her throat.

"My ship just radioed, they're ready to ship out," she said.

Garrus nodded. "Good luck Admiral, Spirits keep you safe," he said, offering his hand.

Hannah took it and pulled him into a warm hug. He was surprised at the familiar gesture but welcomed it all the same and wrapped his arms around the older woman when he heard her whisper.

"Take care of my daughter or Spirits help you."

When they pulled apart, he saw the glint in her eye and nodded ever so slightly. She squeezed his arms gently, letting go and turning to Sera.

Mother and daughter looked at one another before embracing each other in a warm, tight hug. They pulled away and Hannah palmed her daughter's cheek but neither said anything. There was nothing to say. Both knew what was coming and there was nothing either could do to stop or change it. They could simply accept and survive. Hannah let go first and walked away at a brisk pace, hand to her ear, letting her ship know was coming.

Sera stood there, eyes glazed as she watched her mother walk away, fully aware that it was more than likely the last time she would ever see her. She blinked back the tears and swallowed the hard lump in her throat once Hannah had rounded the corner and disappeared into the crowd. Suddenly, her radio crackled to life as Joker's heavy, hung-over voice spoke in her ear.

"Commander?"

"Yeah, Joker? What's going on?" Sera replied a little more loudly than necessary.

"UGH!" he grunted. "Not so loud! Damn!"

"A little hung over Joker?!" Sera said loudly unable to resist giving Joker some payback.

"Yeah, yeah… whatever," he grunted again. "We're ready to ship out. Everyone's aboard."

"Alright! Thanks, Joker!" she said, not missing his muffled, 'Fuck' before cutting off the radio.

She grinned at Garrus, who only shook his head.

"That was heartless," he chuckled, "but well deserved. I take it the Normandy's ready to go?"

"Yep, we need to get the hell outta here. It was great to finally meet you, Solana," she said taking Solana's hand again. "Perhaps we'll be able to talk more at a later time? We need to get moving, Garrus. I'll see you on board," she finished, heading toward the elevator and the Normandy.

Brother and sister watched the Commander's retreating form. Garrus sighed and then grunted when Solana elbowed him in the ribs.

"Oof, what?" he grunted.

"So that's the great Commander Shepard?" she teased.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, nothing… you did well Brother." She grinned.

His mandibles fluttered in embarrassment.

"Be careful out there, Garrus," she said, _I love you_, as she nuzzled his forehead once more.

"I will," he replied, _I love you too_, he nuzzled back and walked out of the triage bay unable to look at his sister for what could be the last time.


	21. Letter

*****The letter contained herein was written by a one my writers, Ashynioki, that I Beta for on www deviantart com who is also a very dear friend. She agreed to write this for me a very long time ago and it's finally making its cameo writing debut. Since the letter is from Garrus, I wanted it to be different than my own writing so it would have a different feel. This seemed to be the best way to do that. *****

Chapter 21: LETTER

Sera walked through the airlock and glanced at Joker who had his head resting heavily in his hand, looking as miserable as ever. EDI was sitting calmly in the co-pilot's seat, methodically analyzing the ship's systems. It was apparent he hadn't noticed her arrival and an irresistibly mischievous thought curled her lips into a sly grin. Treading carefully toward the cockpit, taking care not to make any obvious noise, Sera came up behind Joker and stifled a laugh when she heard him snore lightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw EDI turn and open her mouth to speak. She put a finger to her lips, signaling the AI to hold off on what was undoubtedly a report of one kind or another. EDI blinked in reply, confused by her commanding officer's sudden gesture.

Leaning up against the console, Sera folded her arms across her chest and stared at the pilot. Joker snorted slightly as the small trail of drool caused his chin to slip slightly from its perch on his open palm.

"How's that nap coming?" she said a little louder than necessary, smirking with a devilish grin.

He snorted loudly and blinked awake, clearing his throat and trying desperately to focus on the source of the voice.

"Huh?" he grunted, palming his face in an effort to push away the remnants of the hangover that didn't seem to want to let go.

"I said," Sera began again, still louder than necessary, "how –"

"Hey! Hey!" he said, raising a hand in protest, as if it could somehow protect him from the assault her voice had on his head. "Do you have to be so damn loud?"

"Now, now," she scolded mockingly, shaking a finger at him, "that's no way to talk to your Commander, is it? Have a little too much fun last night? Tell me you at least got laid."

"Yeah, right," he grunted, still palming the side of head. "I wish, but then I'd be stuck in med bay with 2 broken hips and a shattered pelvis to show for it."

"Well," she huffed, "then maybe it's a good thing you didn't or I'd have to fly this thing myself."

Joker barked out a laugh at the thought of her flying his ship, _his baby_. He instantly regretted it as his head throbbed in retaliation with a vengeance.

"If your flying is anything like your driving or your dancing, then we're _fucked_," he retorted.

Sera gaped, "My dancing is not _that_ bad!"

"Commander," EDI began "what Joker says is –"

"It's really important you don't finish that sentence EDI," Joker grumbled, cutting off the AI.

"But, Joker," EDI started again.

His mouth was a thin line as he shook his head, glaring at her to shut up. The last thing he needed was his girlfriend repeating the things he told her in private, and he made a mental note to explain what privacy meant. EDI said nothing more and turned back to the ship's diagnostics.

Taking on a more serious tone this time, Sera turned her attention back to her pilot.

"Has everyone reported in?" she asked.

"Yeah, everyone's accounted for, except for Garrus of course. We just took on the medical supplies you traded for. Where do you want to go?"

She nodded. "Garrus should be here soon. He wasn't that far behind me. Set a course for the Pranas System. How long will it take to get us there?"

"Not long, a couple hours maybe."

"Okay, good. As soon as Garrus is aboard, head out," she ordered, walking out of the cockpit and toward the CIC.

"Aye, Commander," said Joker with a lazy salute.

Sera walked through the CIC, listening to the hum of her ship as it came to life. It brought a smile to her lips and, grateful for the warm feeling, she pushed aside her own melancholy that lingered from the memorial. The shore leave had obviously been the right call as she heard the various conversations amongst the helmsmen, engineers, and other crew members. Most were regaling one another about their night in Purgatory and the other things they did afterwards. Even though they all knew the Reapers were beginning to ravage the outer edges of the galaxy, in this moment they shoved such knowledge aside in favor of happier memories.

She rounded the corner and approached her terminal. She scrolled through the messages and blinked at what she saw. Resisting the urge to begin reading immediately, she clicked off the terminal when Traynor called to her.

"Commander?"

"Yes, Traynor? What is it?"

"Commander, I was scanning the Alliance comm channels earlier before we left for shore leave. I picked up a distress call from Grissom Academy asking for evacuation. I was going to tell you but then I heard a Turian cruiser was already dispatched to help," she explained quickly, wringing her hands. "Something about that kept nagging at me so I came back early and scanned the distress call again. It's fake."

"Fake?!" Sera repeated, walking over to the Comm Specialist's station.

"Yes, see?" Traynor said pointing at the screen filled with various algorithms and sound patterns. She identified two particular ones that matched. "This is the one from the supposed Turian cruiser responding to the distress call and this one," she pointed to another algorithm just below the first, "is the one from the supposed Turian patrol that disabled the Collector ship a year ago."

Sera's eyes grew wide as she mentally put the pieces together - _Cerberus_, "Shit!" She hit the comm at Traynor's station. "Joker!"

"Commander?" he answered.

"Change of plan! We need to get to the Petra Nebula. Cerberus is attacking Grissom Academy!"

"Son of a …sorry Commander. I mean, I'm on it!"

Sera turned to Traynor and gave the young woman's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Good catch, Traynor."

"Thanks, Commander, but I couldn't have done it without EDI's help," Traynor replied, looking up toward the ceiling waiting for the AI to chime in.

[The similarities between the two signals seemed to be too much of a coincidence, Commander. It is logical that Cerberus would try to capture these Biotics for their own use.]

"Agreed, EDI. Who knows what the Illusive Man has planned for them," Shepard said bitterly. "The sooner we get there, the better. Let me know when we arrive. I need to check in with Chakwas and then I'll be in my cabin."

"Aye, Commander," saluted Traynor.

Sera called for the elevator and stepped inside. As the doors closed, she saw Garrus approaching the CIC and she felt her anxiety pitch slightly with anticipation.

* * *

_Mordin_

It was the only thing that floated through Garrus' mind ever since he left the Citadel. He pushed the worry he had for Solana from his mind, convincing himself that the Citadel was the safest place for her to be. Instead, he focused filling in the mystery that Sera refused to talk about. He had to commend Chakwas for her subtlety. He almost missed the direction she was gently pushing. Mordin wasn't under any stupid Alliance policy bullshit. The problem of course was figuring out how to get the salarian to talk without giving up the reason he was asking.

He breezed through the airlock onto the Normandy, snapping around when the doors slid shut so quickly they nearly clipped his armor. He glared at Joker.

"Really, Joker?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry, Garrus, kinda in a hurry," the pilot answered absently, concentrating on the ship's controls.

Garrus felt the ship suddenly pitch backward and he grabbed the edge of the console to steady himself.

"What the hell?!"

The ship swiftly but gently rolled out of its pitch, first to the left and then smoothly to the right as it backed out of the docking bay. Garrus expected to feel a lurch when the ship began to move forward, finding its trajectory, but he felt nothing as the Normandy quickly picked up speed. Joker's hands flew over the controls, effortlessly navigating them out of the busy Citadel. Garrus watched as the station's arms and smaller ships became a blur in the windows of the cockpit, one blending into the other.

"What's going on, Joker?"

"Grissom Academy," Joker quickly explained, "Cerberus is attacking."

"Shit!" he swore.

"Yeah, time to kick some Cerberus ass!" Joker ground out, quickly punching more keys.

Watching the last remnants of the Citadel fly past the windows as they ejected out into the blackness of space, he snarled in agreement and turned toward the CIC. As he approached, he saw the elevator doors shut with Shepard inside. His mind went back to Mordin and he walked toward the elevator with renewed purpose.

* * *

Sera stepped out of the elevator and keyed the code to her cabin. Chakwas was satisfied with the medical supplies she got from Tactus. It seemed like there was something else on the Doctor's mind, but she didn't say. Sera didn't push. She knew that if it was important enough, Karin would tell her. Pulling her hair free from its loose bun, she sighed and ran her fingers through the loose strands. Feeling a little better, she began to unbutton the uniform, opting for something a little more comfortable than the high collared formal jacket. Taking it off, she huffed lightly as she threw it on the bed and went to the drawers rooting around for her N7 hoodie. Slipping it on, she walked to her desk, absently digging out an elastic band from one of the pockets. She dropped into the chair and clicked on her terminal. Staring at the screen, she put her hair up into a loose ponytail and sighed.

_Letters, 1 of 3 – Vakarian, Garrus_

She willed her hand to move, swallowed hard, and opened the first one.

* * *

Garrus approached the elevator and heard it hum as it arrived. The doors slid open and without thinking, he automatically moved toward the opening.

"Garrus!"

He stopped short and blinked, suddenly realizing that he was about to walk right into the asari in front of him. Focusing, Liara stood less than a foot in front of him with her arms raised, ready to shield herself.

"Liara," he hummed, "I'm sorry. I was….thinking."

"Clearly," she replied, her eyebrows arching with curiosity. "I was actually looking for you. EDI alerted me when you came aboard."

"Oh?"

"Yes," she replied, backing up and allowing him entry to the elevator. "I found some other documents that I thought you'd like to take a look at. I decrypted some of it but there are full redactions that seem to be completely corrupted."

"Did you want me to come by and take a look at them or were you going to send them to me?" he asked as he stood next Liara selecting the Crew deck.

"I think it's best if you come by my quarters. I'd rather not have that floating about EDI's systems."

"Mmmmmm," he hummed, "that's a good idea. I was on my way to talk to Mordin but it can wait."

"Mordin?" she echoed.

"Yeah, I think he knows more than he's letting on."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

He was about to answer when the elevator doors opened and they both stepped out. Deciding it was better to answer that once they were in her cabin, he said nothing and followed her around the bend. Once her doors shut, he settled himself into one of the chairs while she sat at her main terminal, fingers rapidly moving over the virtual keys and pulling up the documents she found.

"I talked to Chakwas this morning," he began.

Liara looked at him sharply, clearly alarmed that he had told Chakwas what he had seen.

"No, no," he said, holding up a hand to calm her, "I didn't say anything about the vid. I just told her that Sera told me about the trial and that she blacked out. I was hoping that she would tell me what happened or something about what she knew based on that."

"And?" she asked, quirking a brow.

"Nothing," he huffed, frustrated, "and nothing. She wouldn't tell me a damn thing! Some bullshit policy about how she can't divulge personal, confidential information about Alliance personnel because ishe's/i Alliance. She seemed to stress that a little too much and I couldn't figure out why at first."

"Mmmmm, that is true," she hummed, "but what does that have to do with Mordin?"

"Mordin isn't Alliance."

Liara stopped what she was doing, fingers in mid-keystroke. The realization of what Garrus was telling her dawning, she turned to look at him again, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

"Now it makes sense…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"This," she said, keying one final stroke as a document lit up the screen.

He leaned in and began to read. Most of what was on the page had been corrupted beyond repair but not the three names that knocked the wind out of him like rapid-fire concussive rounds.

Mordin. Shepard. Chimera.

* * *

Mordin's head popped up from the microscope he was constantly glued to.

"Garrus! What can I do for you?" he asked, acknowledging the turian before glancing at the screen and returning to the microscope.

"So, Solana tells me that you were part of the team for our mother's treatment…" he began expectantly.

"Your mother?" Mordin repeated, pausing a second. "Ah, yes! Of course. Vakarian, Adrasteia."

"Yes, that's her," Garrus hummed.

"Yes. Good patient. Prognosis stable."

"Stable?" Garrus repeated, surprised. Solana said that their mother was doing better but he didn't expect to hear that she was stable.

"Yes," nodded the salarian, "treatment stabilizing her condition. Not cure, but not worse. Chimera is best chance for your mother's disease."

"Chimera," echoed Garrus, silently pleased that Mordin was going exactly where he wanted him to. This was going to be easier than he anticipated.

"Yes. Name of facility is Chimera."

"Tell me more about this place," Garrus prodded as he leaned up against a nearby table and folded his arms.

"Not much to tell. Medical research facility. Salarian origin but given to Council for use when new facility was built. Old facility deemed inadequate," Mordin explained simply, examining the specimen in his microscope and making notes on his console.

"Mmm-hmmm, and what kind of medical research do they do? Salarian only? Or is that where the genophage came from?"

Mordin inhaled sharply at the sound of the word but that didn't stop him from answering the question.

"Yes and yes. But not Salarian-only any longer. Obviously. Medical research now done for benefit of entire galaxy. Council has first priority, of course."

"First priority," Garrus hummed again, "as in?" he prompted.

"Primary objective," Mordin huffed, annoyed that he had to explain such a basic concept and that the turian was keeping him from his work. "Councilors' directives are primary objective. Everything else, secondary."

"So," Garrus began evenly, studying the salarian for his forthcoming reaction, "which one would Shepard's blackout have been considered, primary or secondary?"

* * *

The letter displayed on her screen. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wondering if she really wanted to read it.

_What the hell?! Read it! You asked him to send it, now read it._

She blinked, leaned forward in her chair, palmed her chin and began to read.

_[Message received: 02-05-2186 CE. Correspondence intercepted by Alliance Command]_

_Sera,_

_I'm watching the Normandy disappear with you on it, and I can't help wishing we had more time, just to talk. It was difficult watching you leave without saying goodbye. That's twice, if you're counting; we didn't get a real goodbye last time, either. I hate that I can't talk to you about this in person. Just when it seems like things are going right, something has to get in the way. I know you're doing what you have to, that if you didn't it might start a war, but it drives me crazy that it has to be now. There are so many things I want to say, but not in a letter. I want to look at you when I say them._

_You know I was a mess when you found me again on Omega, too full of anger, too broken by betrayal to even notice how concerned you were for me. You were so patient with me, even when I wouldn't talk to you at all. Then you helped me deal with Sidonis without losing myself to vengeance. Truth is, back on Omega… I was already lost. My world turned upside-down when you were gone. I hadn't realized how much you had changed me until I couldn't slip back into my old life. Nothing I did seemed like enough. The Reapers were coming and the Council buried their heads in the sand and called you a lunatic._

_I made a difference when I served with you, but back at C-Sec, I was running in circles. The faces of criminals ran together, the days dragged on, and nothing changed. At the time, I thought it was the injustice alone that had filled me with rage. I know now that it was grief, too. Guess I got mired in the anger part and never moved forward._

_I went to Omega to take out my rage on the worst scum in the galaxy, where no C-Sec regulations could stop me from putting down the ones that would never change. For a while, I felt like I was making a difference, but evil is always more clever than we expect, isn't it? Makes me think of the Illusive Man… I never did like him._

_Then you came back and suddenly everything was better. You saved me from the mercs, and helped me work through my anger in… creative ways. Being with you was so much more than I expected. Turian women aren't… soft. I never used to understand fetishists, but I'm beginning to. I don't know if I've said too much, but I'm leaving it there. I'm not sure what this is yet, but it is something. That much, I know._

_When things changed between us, at first, I was scared. I won't deny it. I had no idea you were interested in… that, and I'd never thought about it with a non-turian. You were an incredible woman, I knew that. Hell, everyone who meets you knows that, but you'd always been my commander and my friend, and nothing else. I trusted and respected you more than anyone in my life, and when you said you wanted more, it surprised the hell out of me. I'm so glad I didn't back out._

_The time we shared… it was special, wasn't it? I guess I'm just wondering where we should go from here, if we can go anywhere at all. I don't want this to be the end. I have unfinished business with you, Sera._

_The question now is: what am I going to do? I don't know how long the Alliance is going to keep you, and I can't sit still waiting for a committee of bureaucrats to decide what to do with you… They should be giving you a commendation and every resource you need to prepare for the inevitable invasion. Every time I think about how ridiculous it all is, I want to hit something. If I stay here, I'll go on a shooting spree at Zakera Ward inside of a few days. I think I need to go to Palaven._

_After what happened to you on Aratoht, I know I have to convince the turian government to do something. Though I'm not sure how. I might have to talk to my dad… That's not a conversation I'm looking forward to, but he has connections. Speaking of family, I'll be visiting my mom and Solana at Helos Medical Institute before heading to Palaven. The last message I received said she had improved, so the treatments must be working. If Mom's in capable hands, Sol might finally be able to get back to her own life. Mom's failing health isn't a burden she should have to shoulder alone._

_I wanted to thank you for not getting angry about that sample of Collector tissue I sent to the salarians. I should have told you about it, and about my mom, but I didn't want to trouble you with my personal problems. I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of having an intimate relationship with my commanding officer. Turians are taught to keep the personal stuff separate from work, but I suppose when one line blurred, the other did, too. You know how gray areas confuse me._

_I was considering doing a bit more research on human customs while you're away. I hope I hear back from you soon. You can let me know if I should look into anything… specific._

_Garrus_

She sighed and sat back in her chair. She lightly touched her cheek and was surprised to find it wet. The memories of the day she left them there on the Citadel to find their way home started to come back. She had buried most of them for so long, even the ones she thought she had lost because of her blackout started to trickle in.

She remembered when she told the crew what had happened on Aratoht and why she had to leave them behind. She had to take responsibility for what she had done. She had said nothing before arriving at the Citadel, instead dropping the bomb in a private C-Sec room on the Docking Bay. That way everyone would be off the ship, except for EDI and Joker. She wanted them to know the truth before the media or anyone else twisted it for public consumption. They had all understood and none of them questioned her. More importantly, they understood why she told them. They knew that they had to do what they could to prepare for what was coming.

After her announcement, she began to make her way to the guard that was to escort her back to the Normandy. Several of the crew stopped her to express their support and promised to do what they could. A few, predominantly Jack, spewed their displeasure quite colorfully at the injustice of the situation but they supported their Commander nonetheless. The one memory that never left her was the look in Garrus' eyes when she broke the news. It haunted her.

[Commander?] EDI called, cutting into her reverie.

She sniffed and wiped her cheek.

"Yes, EDI?"

[We are approaching Grissom Academy. Joker requests that you come to the helm.]

Sera sniffed again, pushing everything else out of her head. She would read the other two letters later. Right now, she needed to focus.

"On my way, EDI," she called out firmly, closing down her terminal and standing up.


End file.
